Lost and Found
by rainjewel
Summary: Hitomi/Migel fic. *Complete* This is the original version (I love it so!). Check out the revised version: Lost and Found: The Alternate Ending!!
1. Hitomi: Visions

Lost and Found ****

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

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Author's Note: I own nothing, just the plot. Um, this is my latest stab at writing. This is not going to go along with the Escaflowne timeline, so if you don't gel with that, I'm sorry!! I apologize that Hitomi is way out of character, but I'm kind of sick and tired of her being so helpless and goody-goody. I also like making my girl characters cynical bitches. Hitomi's in-between good and cynical. I hope you likeys!! Please, PLEASE send me some reviews at esca_rain@hotmail.com! It really makes my day!! Thankies!! 

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… ß Indicates Flashbacks

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Italicized words indicate thoughts

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Hitomi

I'd never tell anyone this, but I hate visions. I hate them with a passion. They're always so excruciatingly **painful**. Whenever I have one, it feels as if all my appendages are being ripped from my body like stitches from a seam. They always leave me feeling so weak and helpless. 

I **hate** feeling that way. 

I want to be strong now, strong in this new world. I mostly want to be strong for my new friends—especially Van. He has to be strong for too many people. I want to be strong for him. 

I suppose that's why this last vision hit me so hard.

It was awful. One minute I was running down the halls of the _Vione,_ this strange flying rock, trying to rescue Van, and the next I was on the ground, hunched over like a baby. All I could see in my mind's eye was Van, his bronze body lying on the ground in a pool of blood. A young, translucently beautiful man was standing over him, chuckling madly. I ran to his side, screaming his name at the top of my lungs. Slowly I turned over his body, but it wasn't his body anymore. It was…no, it couldn't have been him. 

Now I'm laying on my side, almost to weak to sit up. Slowly I breathe out and squint my eyes hard, trying to banish the image of from my mind. The awful burning of those watery gray eyes. Shakily I rise to my feet, using all my waning strength to heave myself off the cold floor. With trembling hands I brush the dust from my uniform out of habit. I look down the darkened tunnel. I wish I had Merle here. Unfortunately I left her behind after jumping that huge gap in this weird, levitating rock.

Clink.

Oh god, that sounds like a sword_._ Instinctively I wrap my arms around my sides, searching for some comfort. Frantically I look into the shadows and back against the cold steel walls. There's nothing there. Quickly I drop my arms. I have to be strong now. With short, quick breaths I walk towards the sound. _Why am I doing this? You don't walk towards the danger! You walk towards danger, you die. You've seen the movies girl!_

Black, grisly smoke claws at my face as I emerge from the tunnel. I smother my initial reaction to cough. I take a few more steps forward, but freeze as I see movement in the shadows. Quiet, maniacal giggling pierces the darkness. Slowly the starry-haired young man from my vision comes into view, a sword clutched tightly in his crimson hand. I can recall meeting him before, but I can't remember his name.

Quickly I follow his line of sight. A figure stands there in beige pants and a red shirt. Van. His back is turned, looking up into the catwalks of the fortress at the retreating figure of a tall, pale man who disappears into the shadows. 

The insane giggling of the red armored man suddenly stops. I look back to him. As if in slow motion, he begins to run at his quarry.

"Van!" I call out, "Behind you!" 

Van turns, just in time to see his enemy. He brings up his sheathed sword and barely blocks the other man's sword. Both stand inches apart, their eyes locked in a hateful gaze while they battle each other's strength. They break separate and Van quickly unsheathes his sword. Heatedly they battle back and forth, screaming hate at each other's face. I clench my fists to my chest. The armored Zaibach soldier is good.

Infuriated, Van takes a swipe at the pale-faced boy. The albino boy tries to block it, but his sword misses Van's by mere centimeters. The blade slices his right cheek with a sickening sound. A few drops of blood and snippets of ashy hair fall to the ground. I hear my gasp reverberate around the room. The pale boy freezes, and his gloved hand tentatively feels his gashed cheek. He feels the cut and lets out a high-pitched shriek, crumbling to the ground. 

"My face, my face," says the red-armored boy. His voice is like a sob.

"Hitomi!" Van calls out, "This way!" He dodges off into the black smoke.

"Right!" I reply. I'm slightly annoyed that he didn't even grant me a hello or a "gee, thank you for saving my life," but I follow anyway. I run past the collapsed boy on the floor, but pause and look back at him. He's trembling slightly and holding his face, staring into nothingness. God he looks hurt.

"I'm sorry," I say, staring at his face. His eyes are the color of wine. How odd. Slowly those wine-colored irises roll towards me. His face lights with alarm.

"Migel! Migel help me!" he screams. He grimaces as the wound stretches with his cry and hot, crimson blood spills to the floor.

Shit! Now I've made him call his men! I turn hastily, almost tripping over my own feet. I lunge into the smoke in the direction that I think Van went. I stop as suddenly as I began running. Standing in front of me are three tunnels. Great. I quickly pull my pendant off my neck and let it dangle from my hand.

"Migel!" The injured warrior's voice rings through the darkness.

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Hurry Hitomi, they're coming. I close my eyes and picture Van in all his moody glory. His black hair, his brooding eyes he's standing in his little "I'm-too-cool" manner. Suddenly image turns yet again to brown hair and gray eyes—no! _It's not him_, I tell myself,_ he's on **your** planet! Get a grip Hitomi._ I shake my head and picture Van again. I feel the pendant start to swing. I open my eyes and look where it's pointing.

"Well, we have tunnel number three," I say under my breath. I gather my courage and sprint into the darkened corridor.

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	2. Migel: Old Memories

Lost and Found ****

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

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Migel

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Where **is** he? I heard him call, now where in the hell did he call from? 

"Shit!" I stop on the dark catwalk. I'm sure I heard Dilandau call my name from what seemed to be the center of the _Vione_, but I haven't heard him cry again. Maybe I'm imagining things.

"Migel!" The voice comes so softly I almost miss it through my ragged breathing. Yes, it's Dilandau, and he sounds hurt. My heart sinks to my stomach. 

Quickly I dodge into a tunnel that's near my right. I run down it, peering through the darkness as my armored feet pound the floor. Whoever designed this armor to be so **heavy** should be dragged out into the forest and eaten by rabid rats. It's a fitting punishment. 

I stop and sniff the air. I smell smoke. I follow it, hoping it will lead me toward Lord Dilandau. God knows that where there's smoke there's fire, and Lord Dilandau always is near fire. I continue running. Smoke begins to fill the corridor and my visibility is down to zero.

Suddenly someone slams full force into my chest. I stumble slightly, but regain my balance before falling over. I hear a thud a few feet in front of me and know whoever ran into me wasn't so lucky. I hope it's not Dalet. He runs into things all the time whenever he gets excited. 

Cautiously I walk up to the figure, trying not to reveal myself to them. I see a coughing figure in white lying on the ground, but I can't make anything out besides that. Doesn't matter, it's obviously an enemy troop of some sort. I swoop over the figure and haul it up by the front of its shirt. I hear buttons popping. The person is surprisingly **very** light. I probably outweigh him by 35 pounds at least. No wonder he fell over and I didn't. 

I feel a heavy coughing attack come over my body. I wrap my arm around the waist of my hostage and duck down the tunnel away from the heavy black smoke. Finally I escape from the vile smog sufficiently to see. I grit my teeth in preparation for what comes next—the part of being a Dragon Slayer that I really loathe: the kill. 

Lord Dilandau demanded that we keep no prisoners, and that we must kill any invaders on the spot. He thinks nothing of death for it comes so easy for him, yet not so for the rest of us. But I know my lethal duty, and I will perform it well. 

Yet still I pity this thin, gasping…**girl**? _No matter,_ I tell myself, trying to harden my heart. I pin the girl's arms behind her back with one hand as I withdraw my sword. I bite my lip savagely to keep my emotions under control like a good soldier.

"My condolences," I whisper into her ear. My voice is thick with sincere sorrow. Her breath is coming in short little gasps of terror. I bite my lip a little harder, feeling a thin stream of blood course down my chin. No matter how many times I have to do this, it never gets any easier. I lift my sword. I will do this quickly and mercifully.

"Ryan!" 

Her voice echoes through the halls as the metal of my sword touches her skin. I jerk my sword away from her small throat. No one knows that name. No one here, at least. I spin her around, keeping her arms pinned behind her back. This causes her body to be pressed closely to mine, but I don't care right now. How did she know that name? For the first time I look into her face. Her hair is the color of honey, her eyes the color of emeralds. Recognition slaps me in the face, and I swear I hear God laugh.

"Hitomi…"

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…Laughter on the subway…Running at sunset…

I shake my head hard. Hitomi's eyes are wide and bright, her mouth hanging slightly open with surprise.

"Ryan?" she asks questioningly. Her look is that of disbelief. Suddenly her hand comes up and brushes away the drying blood on my chin.

"I…I know no one by that name," I say shakily. I drop her wrists and she stumbles against the tunnel's wall. Quickly I turn and dash off back down the darkened corridor.

I hear pounding footsteps behind me. I quicken my pace, but it's no use. This stupid armor hinders my running. Hitomi's always been fast, and soldier's don't run away. I plant my feet and abruptly turn to tell her off, but she runs into smack dab into me before I open my mouth. _She is just like Dalet. _

Unlike our last collision, Hitomi doesn't fall. Instead she throws her arms around my waist and hugs me tightly, though her momentum almost sends me crashing to the floor. Luckily I manage to maintain my balance. Her arms are like a warm fleshy cage. I cage I like. It's been a long time since I've been hugged. 

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…"I'll catch you one day Ryan!"…

I wish that I could hug her back. Instead I stand as still as stone. The familiarity of the school uniform pierces through the darkness. I recognize it now, causing a painful wave of nostalgia to wash over me. 

"Ryan!" I wince as she calls that name. "Ryan, I'm so glad you're alive! What happened to you? You disappeared! We thought you had died and Yukari was so upset and—" She stops her outburst as I remove her clinging limbs from my body and back up a step. I remain as rigid as a board, wanting her to see the rigidity of my actions, my detached mechanical image. 

"My name is Migel Labariel and I am a soldier of Zaibach. I belong to the elite Dragon Slayer unit under the direction of Dilandau Albatou," I say in a dry, authoritative voice. I've said them a million times before, but for the first time they feel like a lie. 

"Your name," Hitomi says, her eyes flashing angrily, "is Ryan Michael Labariel and you're my friend! Or at least I thought you were."

The words shake me inside. I take a deep breath and look at her sadly. She won't understand. 

"Run away Hitomi," I say. My words ring out cold as winter. She looks at me uncomprehendingly.

"No." Such a simple statement, my dear girl.

"You are Lord Dilandau's enemy and therefore you are mine. Go away now, Hitomi. I'm dangerous." 

With that I melt into the shadows, using the concealing blackness and my knowledge of the _Vione_ to let me disappear into the darkness. Hitomi stands where I left her. Slowly silver tears begin coursing down her cheeks. I want to run to Dilandau, but if I move she'll hear my footsteps.

"You don't have to be Ryan. You don't…" she says softly. She wipes her tears away in furious swipes. 

"Hitomi?" a voice calls out. I hold my breath and look to where the voice came from. A tall lean man in a Caeli Knight uniform is standing there, his light blue eyes on Hitomi's back. His long golden hair shines through like a beacon in the darkness of the _Vione_.

"Allen!" Hitomi says. She spins around, looking into the darkness. I press against the wall, trying to hide from her peering eyes. The tall man, the man named Allen, steps up to Hitomi. Fresh tears begin pouring down her cheeks. My heart wrenches with each teardrop. Allen looks at her questioningly, then wraps his arms around her like a concerned parent. Her head drops to his chest.

"Hitomi, what happened? Are you hurt? Did one of those soldiers hurt you?" Allen asks concernedly. I feel my left hand curl into fist, and I slowly stroke the dagger that lies within my glove. I would **never** hurt Hitomi. 

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You almost killed her, you idiot. Shut up conscience.

"Oh Allen, it was awful. I'm fine now, but it was awful," Hitomi says. Allen whispers something in her ear. 

Good. Now they're sufficiently distracted so I can leave. I might be one of the better sword fighters here in Zaibach, but I'm not going to chance it with a Caeli Knight. 

I hesitate briefly, then slowly make my way out from the corridors. When I exit the tunnels, I break out into another break-neck run. Dilandau is waiting. I hope I'm not too late.

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	3. Migel: Wine + Dilandau = Pain

Lost and Found ****

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

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Migel

I hate it when Dilandau gets into moods like this. Hell, who am I kidding, he's not in a mood. He's drunk. Roaring drunk. That's all right though. As long as he keeps his hands away from that awful cut on his face, I'm not going to complain. I've already gotten slapped once for reminding him to not touch that bloodied bandage. I can deal without sleep for one night as long as he doesn't go off in a frightening bout of insanity.

Dilandau and I share a room. Every Dragon Slayer shares a room with another soldier. To make things fair, Dilandau decided, or Folken ordered, that he should have a roommate like the rest of us. It "boosted moral." It also keeps Dilandau somewhat under control.

Why I was chosen as Dilandau's roommate remains a mystery. Perhaps someone thought it was privilege, or that I have the ability to "calm" Dilandau. That person is an idiot.

I don't know when Dilandau started slipping away from us. I think it began with this awful pursuit of the Dragon. It's become his obsession, and it has spread like wildfire throughout the unit. Everyone's always talking about the bloody Dragon except for me, but I've always been an exception.

"Migel…Migel what are you thinking about?" Dilandau says in a singsong voice. I snap my head to look at him. He stands with his hands on his hips, his crimson-eyes sparkling. I believe I'm the only person who's ever seen him like this. Dilandau without his cool, icy cover.

"I was merely pondering, Sir," I say as calmly as I can. 

"Pondering what? Battle?" Dilandau asks. He takes his sword from the wall and makes a few fake thrusts. His motions are perfect and as graceful though a few moments ago it was a wonder he could stand.

"Not really. Just pondering life, Sir. You?" I ask. You can ask Dilandau things when he's drunk. 

I turn onto my side. I'm lying on my bed in my pants and blue undershirt. Dilandau is clothed the same, save for his diadem and the fact that his undershirt is lavender. In my hand is a book, while in Dilandau's is a sword. Surprise, surprise.

Dilandau takes the bottle of _vino_ from the bedside table and sits down at the end of my bed. I sit up to face him. 

"Life. What in life does one ponder?" Dilandau asks me. _Dear god he's getting maudlin or at least philosophical. Great, another Folken._

"One's destiny, one's family? I truly don't know," I say thoughtfully. Dilandau lifts a warning eyebrow. "Sir," I add hastily. Even drunk, Dilandau still is a highly observant individual. It's one of the qualities that makes him such a great soldier.

Dilandau takes a delicate mouthful of _vino_ then looks to me. He absently places the wine back on the bedside table.

"I have no family. Do you have a family Migel?" Dilandau asks me. I calculate my response carefully.

"Yes," I reply. Nothing more, nothing less. It's safer that way. I think Dilandau caught my coolness. His eyes glitter momentarily with the suave knowledge of cat, then become wide and thoughtful.

"Where did you come from Migel?" asks Dilandau softly. His drunken giddiness has subsided into calm sensitivity. I sigh heavily. _Why the hell is everyone so bloody interested in my origins all of a sudden?_

"My first memory in this world was when you saved my life Dilandau-sama," I say. It's the truth at least, but it feels like a lie. A lot of things feel like lies lately.

"Ah yes. I remember," says Dilandau. His eyes close slightly, losing himself in old memories. "You were beaten almost senseless by petty thugs. I remember coming across you, all broken. You fought, but without knowledge of battle. That was a quick fight for me." His eyes open with a flash and he cackles maniacally at the memory. I merely grimace.

"You saved my life Sir. Without your help I would have died," I say. I say the words with feeling. Dilandau is in every word my savior. Without him I would have died in this world. I love him for that.

"Yes, well Migel," Dilandau says, "You had fighting qualities. And you've proven them quite well." If he were an affectionate man, he would have probably granted me with a special touch of recognition, but he's not. Dilandau may be a hard, brutal captain, but he's a damn good one. He respects his men and we worship him.

"Thank you Sir," I manage to say. Dilandau suddenly cackles.

"Listen to me! Aren't I the sentimental fool!" He stands abruptly and begins fencing at some imaginary partner while rubbing his bandage. _Damn. Now I have to get slapped again._

"No Sir, you would never be a fool," I say quickly. _Reassurance, reassurance Migel, that's the ticket._

Dilandau spins, looking at me with fire in his eyes. He removes his diadem and tosses it into the air, then throws his sword at my head. My eyes widen and I brace myself for the lethal blow. 

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Oh god oh god ohgodohgodgod!

The sword lodges itself in the wall, inches from my head; the diadem encircles itself neatly around the wine bottle without a sound. I don't even dare to breathe. I guess he's not as drunk as I thought, or he's damn good. Most likely it's the latter

"No," –_pause_– "I suppose not Migel," Dilandau says with an evil grin. He walks fluidly over to where I sit, stricken. 

"No Sir, I suppose not," I say weakly. Dilandau giggles and retrieves his sword from the wall. _Shake it off Labariel. Show him what you're made of, pudding or metal? God…I feel like pudding. _I sigh and resign myself to being made of metal.

"You're a good soldier Migel," Dilandau says. He puts his sword back to its holding place with mine. Suddenly he sways on his feet. I recover myself hurriedly and in a flash I am by his side. 

"Sir, are you all right?" I ask soberly. Perhaps he's still drunk. Dilandau breathes deeply, his expression that of irritability. 

"I'm fine," he rasps. He spins around on his feet, facing his bed. He takes a few shaky steps. I decide to risk a slap and grab Dilandau's arm and waist to support him. His head snaps to look to me, and I stiffen my body in preparation for the smack I know is coming. Instead, Dilandau brings his arm up and clasps the back of my neck. He leans in close—too close.

"If you ever talk about **any** of this to the others, I'll make your life a living hell," Dilandau purrs into my ear. I smell the alcohol on his breath, but I don't think it's the cause of this sudden loss of balance.

"I will always do as you bid me, Sir," I say back to Dilandau. I remain standing tall and true, though it makes me talk into his ashy hair. The smell of the wine is dizzying. 

"Smart boy," says Dilandau, leaning back. His garnet eyes look at me hazily, then flit towards his bed.

"I'm tired," he announces in a childish voice. So now I guess we're back to drunken giddiness.

"It is very late Sir," I say. Dilandau nods in agreement and walks to his bed. His gate is still awkward and lacks his usual fluid grace. I remain by his side. With a high giggle he leaps into the air and lands on his bed. I look down at him, unsure of what to do. 

"Go to sleep Migel. No one knows what tomorrow brings," Dilandau says. He turns his head away and closes his eyes. I nod briskly and turn on my heel. Mechanically I remove my shirt and slip under the sheets. Random thoughts begin to float inside my mind.

Dilandau begins humming some gay little drinking tune. Idly I think Folken should take lessons from him instead of whistling those mournful folk songs in the halls. They're so depressing. 

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"…Ryan, you're humming again…"

"…I always hum when I run…"

I shut my eyes tightly, trying to block out the memories. _Please,_ I pray to the stars, _please let tomorrow bring better things then it brought today_.

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	4. Hitomi: A Midnight Chat

Lost and Found ****

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

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Hitomi

I can't go to sleep. I lie on my bed curled like a kitten. All I can remember is that boy I met today, the boy who called himself Migel. I know his real name is Ryan.

Ryan Michael Labariel.

I clutch my chest as the old hurt feeling sweeps through my heart. I thought he'd been gone for two years, but still I can feel the emptiness.

Ryan Labariel was a two-year exchange student from England a couple years ago. He made our duo (Yukari and I) a trio. He would study with Yukari, and even got talked into dance classes once. They always did things together.

Ryan was my running partner. We'd always run at sunset, and he'd hum the weirdest tunes. It was one of his weird little quirks. I smile now, thinking of him.

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…"What **was** that delightful melody?"…

…"'Octopus' Garden' by the Beatles."…

…"Octopuses have gardens?"…

…"According to Ringo Star they do."…

We spent a few good years together. Then our world fell apart. 

Over the time that we three spent together, it was evident to me that Yukari liked Ryan more then "just a friend". One night she came from a party, crying her eyes out. I thought she was drunk, or even worse, high. 

But it was worse, much worse. 

Apparently she had kissed Ryan on a whim, and he hadn't responded. At all. "Still as stone," she had said; just like how he reacted when I embraced him today. The hurt in my heart increases. 

He was so distant after that. Oh yeah, he still did **everything** with us, but an invisible barrier had been placed between us. Those were some trying months. 

I remember the day he left. I remember those smiling gray eyes shining with the sun's dying rays. We'd raced that day, and I had finally won. With his long legs he'd usually win with ease. I remember waving to him as he walked over the hill towards his house after he'd dropped me off at mine. I had never seen him since then. 

Until today. Today, when he was dressed in a Zaibach soldier uniform. Why? Why would he leave? How did he get here?

"Hitomi?" A voice calls out, breaking my reverie. I open my eyes and sit up slightly, propping my body up with my elbows. Standing in the doorway is a thin figure. A blazing red shirt sticks out in the darkness. It must be Van.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were sleeping," he whispers apologetically. He begins to shut the door.

"No, no, don't leave Van. I wasn't sleeping," I say I sit up fully now, making sure that my nightshirt covers me. It's a shirt of Allen's that he lent me. It's all stiff with starch, but it smells nice and fresh. Van hesitates slightly then steps inside the room, shutting the door behind him. 

"I couldn't sleep," explains Van. He slowly makes his way to the bed. _This is odd. He's never been anything but a pig-headed jerk. Now he's all, well, normal._ Van sits down next to me, resting his head against the wall. He's careful not to sit on my feet. I wiggle slightly out of my blankets and move so that I'm sitting beside him, our backs leaning against the wall.

"Neither could I," I reply, shutting down my thoughts. So what if Van's acting a little strange? Maybe this is the true Van. He doesn't make a motion to respond to my comment, only draws his knees up to his chest. Some nameless emotion washes over me briefly. I realize I want to hold him. Now **that's** odd. _Chalk up a point for stupid teenage hormones. Next thing you're going to do is throw your arms about him and passionately kiss him, right?_

"Are you thinking about your brother?" I ask instead. I remember the tall, pale-haired man, the one they called Folken. I don't know how I knew that Van and Folken were related, for they certainly don't look alike. I think I just knew it instinctively. They wear the same stoic masks to hide their emotions. I've been thinking about him a bit since this afternoon. Hell, I've been thinking about everyone on that damn fortress. 

Van says nothing, just nods. He's obviously caught up in the memories of his older brother, just like I was with Ryan. I realize that Van is probably feeling the same way I am, only on a much larger scale. _I guess misery **does** love company._

"Van," I start to say. He slowly turns his head to look at me. His brown eyes are large and wet. "If it helps, I miss my parents too," …_and Ryan_…I add silently. Van looks at me curiously. Suddenly he stands up and brushes his shirt, ridding it of some imaginary dirt. _Oops, getting to close for comfort._

"I have no brother. At least not one worthy of feeling anything for," Van says carefully, trying to conceal his sadness. _I'm sorry Van Fanel, but I see your sorrow as purely as I see mine, _I think a little bitterly to myself. Van slowly walks to the door. Damn it, he's leaving already. I guess I couldn't hope for a long involved talk. Van suddenly stops and turns around on his feet. 

"Thank you," he says with unusual thoughtfulness. He then slips out the door in a flash of red. Dang! I wish he'd come back. I really want to talk someone right now. As if on cue, Van's head pops through the door. I hold my breath.

"Hitomi, I'm…I'm sorry I took you away from your world," Van says in a thin voice. For once his face is soft, and the weariness of his hard 15 years shows. It makes my heart break…and melt. 

"I'm not," I say truthfully. Van looks at me curiously, then a little half-smile dances across his face. It's a beautiful smile. I beam a smile back at him, quirking my head to the side. He utters something that sounds a little like a chuckle. I must look like a moron, sitting in a too-big shirt and socks smiling like a maniac. He makes a half-motion to come back inside.

"VAN-SAMA!" a voice calls out. It's the annoying catgirl Merle. I feel my smile fade like the sun. _What great timing Merle has, that damn furballi_. Van's his eyes dull and then his face once again becomes a mask of courage. Argh! 

"Good night Hitomi," he says a little too gruffly. Mentally I shake my head and slap him silly.

"Good night Van," I say. "Sweet dreams," I add impulsively as an afterthought. His eyes spark briefly and he slips his head out of the door. _And to you too, Ryan._

I sigh. Always returning to Ryan. I snuggle my way back under my covers and close my eyes. Surprisingly I find myself to be greatly fatigued. _I guess being almost killed by your long-lost friend on another planet can really take it out of you_. I hear myself laughing out loud at my comic bitterness, and then everything fades to a world of darkness.

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	5. Migel: Elegance is Overrated

Lost and Found ****

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

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A/N: Sorry, I hate to write these notes, but I have absolutely no idea how the sequencing of the battle scene went, so I made it up in my head. Yay for rainjewel, who _really_ needs to get her hands on some tapes. Anyway, I apologize for the awful depiction of the battle, but I couldn't write battle scenes even if my life depended on it. Also, you might have noticed that Migel is a slight Beatles freak. Well he IS British, ol' chap!

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Migel

This is insanity! Dilandau has ordered us to go into Stealth Mode for protection from the Dragon. Yeah, like that's going to help our situation. Now we've taken away our weapons when we need them the most. Dilandau is usually a highly intelligent man! Why doesn't he understand that Hitomi can see us? 

Hitomi…No, I wont' think about her. Focus on battle.

"Migel! What are you, afraid? You're behind! Get closer, he can't see you!" Dilandau's voice, full of impassioned bloodlust, calls out over the intercom.

"Yes Sir," I reply. Promptly I move closer to the silent Ivory Dragon, though my mind screams against the illogical actions of our leader. I want to tell him of Hitomi's powers for his own sake, but that would only result in pain on my part and death on Hitomi's. Dilandau is in no mood to deal with my "insolence."

The Dragon sits. There is no movement from the great white guymelef, just unnerving silence, save for the gentle lapping of the lake.

"Uncloak and attack in 5…4…3…" Dilandau's voice comes purring over the intercom. 

I slowly begin readying myself and my 'melef for the upcoming battle. I can feel my body shifting into mindless battle mode. It's a strange thing with me, I guess. Whenever I get into this "battle mode" my mind is operating completely on autopilot, doing the devil's dirty work. I rarely remember the details of battle. Whether it's subconscious suppression or I'm making the conscious decision to forget my violent escapades, I have no clue. Whatever it is, I hope it never changes.

"What the hell?" Dilandau's bewildered voice comes over the intercom. Suddenly Escaflowne sparks to life. The mecha turns swiftly with a flourish of its blue and red cape, sending waves of water about swirling about its legs. The Dragon strikes towards Dilandau's "invisible" Alseides unit with its huge sword. Dilandau shrieks in surprise and jumps back and uncloaks, then sends a signature burst of fire in Van's direction. 

"Uncloak!" I scream through my mouthpiece towards the other Dragon Slayers. Swiftly all 15 of our midnight blue guymelefs appear on the riverbank. 

Without warning, a silver and blue flash of metal sparks through the forest and slams into someone's Alseides unit. Damn it! It's that horrid Allen Schezar. The elegant Knight that I absolutely detest.

"AAHH!" Chesta's scream comes over the intercom. I see from the corner of my eye his blue guymelef falling in the water. _Shit!_ Sherazade stands over the fallen 'melef for a second, then swiftly turns to face the others. 

Frantically I take an overview of the situation. Dilandau is battling the Dragon, and faring quite well. That damn knight is hacking at Gatti and Dalet. In the background, Chesta is rising shakily to his feet, but his guymelef is totally unserviceable._ Damn it Chesta, get out of there, you can't fight! Don't try to be a hero!_

Stupidly, Chesta backs up from Sherazade and prepares to take a swipe at the mecha in front of him. Quickly I fly to his side and drag the crippled guymelef away from the water. 

"What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to be a martyr? You're in no condition to fight. You're of no use! Get back the _Vione_, Chesta," I yell at him rapidly, yet with an unnerving calmness that isn't like me. It's the battle me, the other me._ Check it out, I have multiple personality. Fits right in with everyone else's other quirks, I guess._ I banish my thoughts. Fighting. Battle. That's all that matters.

"Yes Migel. I know," Chesta voice comes ringing over the intercom. Slowly he takes to the air, using all of his guymelef's energy to fly. I turn back to Dilandau, making my way towards the battle between him and Van.

Suddenly I feel an impact of some kind and the water rushes towards me at an alarming rate. I realize that I'm falling, and hastily shift into flying mode and pull myself back up. I spin around in midair and land, facing the silver monster that is Sherazade. I breathe in deeply.

__

Oh goody. Well Mr. Caeli-Fucking-Knight, I hope you're prepared to go to back to Heaven.

"May the gods welcome your soul," I say through clenched teeth at the Allen. I try to sound as gentile as possible, making sure my British accent is thick and aristocratic. 

"They will, but not today," Comes the **elegant** reply. 

Gods, this man pisses me off. 

The minute he's done speaking I send a "friendly" ball of flame in his direction. Allen blocks it with his **elegant** sword and with an **elegant** swish of his cape takes an **elegant** thrust at my chest. Everything he does is done with flourish, like he's putting on a show. _Bastard_. 

I dodge his sword and fire back at him with my Crima Claw. I know that he can beat me at sword fighting, but I think that I can out maneuver him in guymelef warfare as long as I'm creative and don't result to sword combat. 

I quickly soar into the sky and land behind him in the water. With my sword I slice at his arm. Unfortunately, Schezar anticipated my every move and actually manages to slice off my guymelef's lower right arm. _Well shit. I guess I won't do that again._

Immediately I fling another shot at him with my left Crima Claw. Caught off guard by my brisk recovery, I hit him in the shoulder. He stumbles back, and for once he doesn't look so **elegant**. That makes me incredibly happy. 

"Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer came down upon his head," I sing with more than a little malice through my amplifier. It's such a sick little joke. The old Beatles tune makes no sense to him, but it reassures me out of its habitual familiarity. I keep humming. I used to hum when I'd run, but now I hum when I battle. How lovely.

…"Ryan, you hum when you run and you sing when you're happy. What do you do when you're angry? "…

…"Strip."…

Yeah, right. 

Allen thrusts another jab in my direction and I block it with my sword. For a few minutes we're locked in sword combat, exactly what I didn't want to do. Finally I reach up and simply kick him with my armored foot. He's thrown back, but takes a swipe at me, catching my side. I feel a pain shoot up my left side, but I ignore it and keep humming. Quickly I advance on him and knock him down with my Crima Claw.

"Bang bang Maxwell's silver hammer made sure that he was dead," I sing again. I raise my sword to deliver a potentially lethal blow, then swing down with an awful force. Allen barely has enough time to get his sword in a position to block. Using both his hands he heaves me off his mecha. Damn! He's stronger then me. Two heads are better then one; I guess that goes the same for hands.

As I soar backward I shift to flying mode, but Allen rises to his feet and jumps into the air, slamming his sword into my chest. I fall to the water, the air knocked from my body. My mind begins to spin and I lose hold of the situation momentarily. 

__

"To you, O Lord, I pray. Don't fail me, Lord, for I am trusting you. Don't let my enemies succeed. Don't give them victory over me."

Ah. Psalm 25. The beginning certainly is nice.

"May the gods welcome your young soul," Allen says with his putrid elegance. 

"And may they spit on yours," I yell back at him with all of my might. The weird vertigo is still enshrouding me, making it hard to function. I feel an alien tightening in my chest. Fear. I shoot a weak claw at him, which he blocks easily. My weapons are failing on me. 

"…But all who harm the innocent shall be defeated…" Well, I certainly am out of luck. 

"No! Allen! Stop!" screams a familiar voice. My mind snaps from its fuzzy murkiness. 

Hitomi. 

I strain to see her from my awkward position. The pain in my side increases, and for the first time I feel the hot blood pouring down my side.

She stands on the golden beach with some orange catgirl. The wind is whipping around her, sending her skirt aflutter and her light brown hair dancing. _Well Migel, at least the last thing you see alive is beautiful._

"Ryan!" How does she know it's me? Must be the British accent.

"Hitomi! Get back! You don't know what you're talking about!" Allen calls out through his own amplifier. He turns back to me, brandishing his sword. 

__

Goodbye Hitomi.

Hitomi begins to yell something, but maniacal laughing cuts it off. Suddenly a red Alseides unit replaces Allen's towering form. Dilandau wraps my torso with his claw and drags my guymelef to its feet. 

"Are you alright Labariel?" Dilandau asks through the intercom.

"I'll make it, Sir," I say weakly. My savior has come again. Fuck god. As long as I have Dilandau, I'm fine.

"Hopefully Schezar won't," Dilandau replies. I look to my side. Allen is lying in his fallen guymelef. Dilandau hit him in the chest; the wound's probably fatal.

"Allen! Oh god, Allen!" Hitomi is screaming hysterically. I feel jealousy course through my bleeding veins. 

"I got careless," Allen says weakly from the fallen Sherazade. Who the hell does he think he's talking to?

"Yes, you certainly did, and now you're going to burn," Dilandau replies with insane calmness. He then laughs dementedly and whips out his flame-thrower.

"No you don't!" yells another, younger voice. A sword flies towards Dilandau, and I reflexively aim my weakened claw at the Ivory Dragon that's flying towards us. I fire it with all of my remaining energy and blast the guymelef. The blow strikes Escaflowne in the chest, but is too weak to do any damage. Dilandau swiftly turns and knocks the mecha aside. 

"Get out of here Migel! Go to the _Vione_! Folken's ordered our return, I'll join you shortly!" Dilandau yells at me. He blocks a sword thrust from Van. 

I hesitate briefly, then comply with Dilandau's orders. I maximize my energist's energy to power my Alseides into the air. After managing to become airborne, I finally I manage to glance back. Dilandau is still on the ground battling the damned Van Fanel. I stop and hover.

Suddenly Escaflowne smacks the red Alseides square in the chest, sending it crashing into the water. _Get up, Dilandau, don't fail me._

Dilandau doesn't move. I feel a surge of fear course through my veins. Quickly I make my decision. I turn around swiftly then dive full force into the fray.

Not bothering to shift from flying mode I crash into Escaflowne before Van has time to react. His guymelef falls into the water, sending a heavy spray into the air.

"Migel! What the fuck are you doing?" Dilandau's voice comes screaming over the intercom.

"Go Dilandau-sama! I'll be right behind you!" I yell back. Adrenaline is pounding through my veins. Van won't stay pinned for long. 

"You better be Labariel, or I'll personally kill you!" Dilandau replies. He rises into the air. His unit is severely damaged. He'll be lucky to get back to the _Vione_.

I leap off of Escaflowne's chest and fly upward. Suddenly my Alseides begins to shake uncontrollably. I feel myself losing altitude. The controls freeze and the dashboard goes blank. Shit. 

"Migel!" Comes Dilandau's strangled cry.

"I've lost control. It's all right!" I yell back to Dilandau. The ground's coming up awfully fast. _Shit that looks hard._

"I'm not losing one of my men!" Dilandau screams back. I almost laugh. Dilandau can't help me. I know that and he knows that. Hopefully he'll accept it. We don't need any kamikaze heroics. 

"Zaibach needs you. Please go Dilandau-sama. The other's need you," I yell back with that foreign calmness that I'd experienced at the beginning of this accursed battle. 

"Migel, don't you give up, and that's an order!" Dilandau yells to me. His voice tells me of his decision. Oh gods, he's actually going to go back to the _Vione_. I know that's the right decision. Shit, I don't want to be alone right now.

__

…"Hurry up! I'll leave you Ryan, I swear I will!"…

"Yes Sir!" I whisper. With that the ground smacks me with impossible force and the world fades away.

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	6. Hitomi: Search and Rescue

Lost and Found ****

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

****

A/N: Again, this doesn't follow the timeline or the story of Escaflowne. I have no idea how the events actually went. Enjoy! And PLEASE, PLEASE review. Even if you flame me, at least send me something!

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__

Hitomi

I don't know what to think.

Gadeth's taken Millerna to a room somewhere. Obviously she's a surgeon as well as a princes…interesting. Everyone seems to be more then they appear on this planet.

I'm sitting at Allen's bedside, and I really can't believe that he's fighting for his life right now. He seemed **so** perfect, so divine. 

And I'm furious with him.

He was so condescending at the water battle; telling me I didn't belong there. _Well Allen, where do I belong? Certainly not on this planet! _

And then he tried to kill Ryan. Oh god, that was awful. I heard him singing. Singing in English that I could barely understand, but I recognized that British accent immediately. Allen just didn't understand. He didn't have to kill him, for goodness sakes. You would think a Heavenly Knight would refrain from bloodshed.

For the first time, I'm actually thankful that Dilandau exists. 

Allen whispers something unintelligible in his sleep. His face is pale and damp. His gorgeous blonde hair is still immaculate, spreading about his broken body like a halo. All of my hard feelings melt with one look at him. 

I hate how he can do that, but I also love it. 

I smile slowly and rise from my chair. I give his ungloved hand a squeeze as I leave, just in case he can feel my touch. His skin is has a firm-yet-soft feel, like a peach.

__

…"Millions of peaches, peaches for me!"…

…"Millions of peaches, peaches for free!"…

That was one of the few English songs Ryan ever taught me. Ryan loved peaches. _Correction: loves._

Sometimes I hate my memory.

"Hello Gadeth," I say as I walk out of the room, banishing any thoughts on Ryan. Gadeth sits against the wall, his head in his hands. His knees are drawn up, making him look very boyish. He takes up an alarming amount bit of room.

I've decided I like Gadeth. He's the only normal guy running around among the gallant knights, grumpy kings, and bloodthirsty soldiers. It's rather refreshing.

"Hello Hitomi," He says, bringing his face out of his hands so that his words aren't muffled. Gadeth leans his head against the wall. His chiseled features are wet with sweat. I can tell he's trying to be a macho guy, not displaying any feelings around the little Mystic Moon girl. Why does **everyone** consider me a child!?!

"You're worried about Allen, aren't you?" I ask with a touch of defiance. I feel like defying the world. _Yes, I can make it on a new planet. Yes, I can make it through bloody battle scenes. Yes, I can meet old friends that were cruelly ripped out of my life!_

But no, I'm not bitter.

Gadeth looks at me very curiously. He probably has no idea about what I'm thinking. I'm good little Hitomi who is albeit, a little strange, but sweet.

"Yes, I am," Gadeth says with a calculated neutrality, "How's he doing?"

"He's treading on thin ice," I say, forcing sweet softness into my voice. Now is no the time to dwell on problems over which I have no control over. Not to mention that Gadeth shouldn't be the brunt of my discontent. 

Gadeth cusses under his breath, then stands up, "No sense in moping around here. I have to go feed that demon anyway," he mutters more to himself then to me. It seems he's forgot my presence already. Typical.

"What do you mean, demon?" I ask. Gadeth looks at me as if he's seeing me for the first time. 

"We captured a prisoner from Zaibach. We call him a demon because he already beat the shit out of Oruto…sorry 'bout my language. I've taken over his care for the most part because the guys have a hard time not giving him a smack or two. If the Boss dies, I seriously don't think I could stop them from offing the poor boy," he says hurriedly. With that he brushes past me and disappears off down the corridors, stopping only briefly to say something to the _Crusade's_ motley crew who has taken up residence in the halls.

My heart stops in my chest. The words "prisoner from Zaibach" run through my mind. I feel the ice begin flowing through my veins, remembering the rest of Gadeth's harried explanation. 

__

"…offing the poor boy."

No, not Ryan. Please don't let it be Ryan.

Quickly I take off at a breakneck run after the retreating Gadeth, but stop in front of Kio. The huge man looks at me questioningly.

"Could I borrow your cloak, Sir?" I ask a little breathlessly. Kio raises an eyebrow and looks around at his buddies. _Damn it, I need your cloak!_

"Please Sir, I'm very cold." If asking politely won't work, I'll put on the helpless little girl act. I widen my eyes and shake dramatically.

"Go on Kio, it's what the Boss'd do," a man says in a half joking manner. I feel my patience wearing **very** thin. At the mention of Allen, the crew's jovial manner becomes serious. I glance towards Gadeth. I can barely make out his silhouette in the darkness.

"Here you go little girl," Kio says, shrugging the large black cloak from his massive shoulders. I thank him with honey positively **dripping** from my voice and then run after Gadeth. Quickly I enshroud myself in the large cloak and almost trip over the fabric that drags about my legs. Still, I manage to catch up to the Sergeant.

Finally Gadeth ducks into some grimy room. I quickly follow him through the door, almost having to press myself against his back to fit through, but I make it. I duck immediately into a small, dusty corner and hide amongst the shadows.

Sitting in a small, barred cell in the corner of the room is Ryan. He's sitting Indian style against the wall, and he's looking straight at me. His chestnut hair is slightly mussed, and there is a great deal of blood on his left side. I feel my eyes widen at the gory sight.

__

Where the hell did that come from? If one of the crew did that to him I'm going to kill them! Jesus, I thought Allen had better men than that.

Ryan raises an arrogant eyebrow, then looks away from me. Gadeth sits down in a wooden chair to the left of the cell. 

"You can leave, I'll take it from here," Gadeth says to the air. Suddenly a man with a monkish appearance stands from behind Gadeth and walks to the door. I stifle a gasp of surprise. I didn't even realize he was there. I wonder if he realizes that I'm here.

"I managed to stitch the boy's wounds up. He needs to be in a hospital," the monk says to Gadeth.

"I know. The minute the wretch calms down I'll cart him off to Millerna, provided she's in a condition to help him," Gadeth says with weariness that he hadn't let me see.

"You can't drug him anymore. He's too keen. Be careful Sir. I will go pray for your commander," The monk says with an air of departure. He slips out of the room.

__

They drugged him? What the hell is wrong with these people?

"Well, thank you," Gadeth says a little bewilderedly. He shifts in his chair and looks to Ryan. Ryan is looking straight ahead of him. At me, to be precise. The unfamiliar coldness of his gaze is disconcerting. I swear he hasn't blinked for minutes.

"Hmm. I don't get those monks," Gadeth says to no one in particular. He motions to a tray of food that sits in Ryan's cell.

"Not hungry? I wouldn't be either after your last meal. Sorry about the drugs boy, but it was for your own good. We had to stitch you up," Gadeth explains to the stoic Ryan. His attempts at conversation are pitiful, even to me. At least he seems genuine.

Gadeth settles back into his chair, obviously resigning himself to a very long night. His eyelids are dropping occasionally, but he's managing to keep them open. I feel the dusty, grimy bricks digging into my back through Kio's cloak. I quietly rearrange myself to a more comfortable position. Kio's cloak is surprisingly cozy. I feel sleep pawing on my eyes like an anxious kitten. I sigh inwardly. This could take a while.

Ryan's eyes stare through the darkness with a gray-colored determination. _Well, at least he's wide-awake._

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	7. Migel: The Crooning Fugitive

Lost and Found ****

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

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__

Migel

__

Go to sleep. Please just go to sleep.

Well, finally I have received an inadequate guard. Actually, I've had a lot of those, but I've been too weak to take advantage of the situation. Thankfully that monk stitched me up. 

These silly men are sloppy without their beloved commander running around giving orders. Gadeth had kept them in line, but he's too tired to be of any use for a little while.

I actually kind of like this man, this Gadeth. He seems to be genuinely interested in my wellbeing and is the only person (save for the monks) that has been fair to me. Sadly, for him, he's tired and that's affecting his watchman qualities. The minute he's out I can return to Dilandau. 

__

Go to sleep! Here, I'm sending you sleepy vibes. Damn it! Just shut your eyes! 

This isn't working.

I close my eyes. If I feign sleep maybe he'll relax a bit and fall adrift in dreamland a bit easier. Gods, I'm sore! I think I can take him though. _Hmm…59 kilograms versus about 70 kilograms…and the guy's slightly shorter then Folken…maybe not._ And I have that thing in the corner to worry about. Maybe it's Zaibach informant, but with my damned luck it's probably some torture specialist. Actually, according Freid battle codes or something like that, they're going to bring in some hypnotist. 

Oh goody.

Wait! I stop my musings and listen carefully to my surroundings. Gadeth's breathing has slowed considerably. I risk opening my left eye. Oh yes, he's sleeping like a puppy dog. 

Quickly I stand, clutching at my side that screams in pain. I grit my teeth and reach into the inside of my armor. I scoop out my dog tags. Ah yes, Migel Labariel, number 16Z4. There are sixteen Dragon Slayers in Zaibach and I'm the fourth, alphabetically. I take the one pointed end of the tags and insert it into the lock. I have to hand it to Folken, he certainly thinks of everything. With a few jiggles and twists the lock opens. I ease my way through the door, and it promptly lets out a loud squeak. **Shit**.

Gadeth snorts in his sleep and opens his eyes, his body tensing. Quickly I take both my hands and hit him over the head with my armored fists. His head rolls to the side and his eyes roll up in his head. I rip off a glove and feel for his pulse. Good, it's still there. Fore some reason I really don't want to kill this man.

Immediately I take the keys from his lap and drag his limp body into the cell. Damn, he's really heavy. I feel a few stitches rip and fresh hot blood begins spilling down my side—just what I needed. 

I retrieve his dagger and sword, then lock him firmly in the cage. Only then do I glance to the corner where the cloaked form sits. _Make that sat. _The corner's empty.

I whip around, my dagger out. The cloaked figure stands in front of me, but backs up frantically trying to escape from my blade point. I grab a handful of the cloak to prevent the creature's escape but the person trips on the large folds of fabric and falls to the ground, carrying me with it. I feel the dagger fly from my hand.

We crash to the floor in a jumble. My left hand is pinned under the cloaked person, but I'm on top of them. The figure begins flailing under me, causing my own limbs to become entangled in the fabric. I manage to get semi-chokehold on the creature with my right hand, but that's all I can manage through the thick folds of the cloak.

"What are you? What are you doing here?" I hiss to the creature. 

"God Ryan! Let me go! I'm here to help you!" comes the muffled voice. It's obviously Hitomi, and she sounds angry with me. _Gods, she's everywhere I go, _I think. Swiftly I release her.

"Get off me!" Hitomi says, her voice still rather muffled. 

"I would if you'd get off my arm!" I reply exasperatedly. 

"I can't even get myself untangled from this cloak!" Hitomi exclaims.

"Hold on then, don't move!" I tell her. I reach for the fallen dagger and lift it from the ground. Swiftly I slice part of the cloak into a couple ragged shreds. Hitomi's honey-colored head suddenly pops up beside my face.

"Thank you. I couldn't breathe. Actually, I still can't. How much does your stupid armor weigh?" Hitomi asks. I ignore her comment and busy myself with slicing more fabric.

"Careful! You almost nicked my leg!" Hitomi calls out.

"Shush! I'm sorry! I can't see what I'm doing!" I growl into her ear. She smells good. 

Finally I get the fabric completely sliced to shreds and Hitomi manages to wiggle out from under my body. I slowly straighten myself out from the remaining black cloth. Slowly I rise to my feet, clutching my left side. 

"What in the hell are you doing here?" I ask her, leaning against the wall.

"Gadeth said that the crew was planning on killing you if Allen died. I was going to save you," Hitomi says sheepishly. 

"I can save myself," I say to her. "Now get out of here. You're going against your country, and you're hindering my escape." _Not to mention that you're highly distracting._

"Excuse me, but I don't **have** a country on this planet!" Hitomi replies. I shake my head and slip out of the door. Hitomi follows.

"Look! You're the most conspicuous person in Freid! And I have orders to kill you! Get the hell away from me!" I say. It hurts to say so, but it needed to be said. I begin to creep along the shadows of the halls. Damn the moonlight is bright in Freid!

"If you were going to kill me you already would have. And you can't escape without me, because I won't let you," Hitomi says. I stop dead in my tracks. _My, little Hitomi has grown up._

"Well aren't we clever! Hitomi, you couldn't stop me even if you wanted to. For god's sake, I know how to kill a man 8 different ways using my bare hands," I spit back in a reply. 

My mind's helter-skelter. It's apparently having trouble functioning, what with her jabbering and all. I guess I can't escape a highly lethal situation and hold an intelligent conversation simultaneously. I shift my eyes all around. Damn! Bloodstains mark my escape route.

"Would everyone please stop treating me like a child! Ryan, I can get you out of here…what in the hell are you doing?" Hitomi says, stomping her small foot.

"For crying out loud, my name is Migel! And what does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking off my clothes! Now shut up and let me think!" I whisper harshly back to her. I continue removing my armor.

"Why?" Hitomi asks. Her emerald eyes are following my every move with shocked confusion. _Yeah, go and look. It's your own little peep show! Whoopee!_

"I thought I told you to be quiet! My armor is hindering me, and I have to stop this damned bleeding," I say. I rip off my blue undershirt and hold it too my bleeding side. _Leather pants and my sheathed sword. Great armor Migel. You're even barefoot. That should blend right in._ I should go back and get that cloak (or its pieces) and perhaps Gadeth's boots, but I don't have time.

"Here," says Hitomi. I look up. She's holding a large piece of what was the cloak. She must have gone back to get it. Funny, I didn't even notice she'd left. Usually I'm a highly observant individual.

"Thank you," I say, reaching for it.

"I'm not letting you have it yet. Come with me, I'll get you out of the palace," Hitomi says. She grabs my hand and starts leading me down the hall. _Okay, _it's_ official. This girl is going to kill me. _

"Hitomi, are you insane? There are guards at the gate! What are you planning on doing? Using your feminine wiles?" I ask. I grab the cloak from her hand and fasten a toga-like shirt.

"Precisely," Hitomi replies. I glance at her with obvious disbelief.

"They're monks. Celibate monks, mind you," I say. My eyes shift through the dark halls. A guard is coming. Shit!

"Don't be stupid! They don't care about the people leaving, just the people getting in—what?" Hitomi asks. I drag her into a corner and press her close to my chest, trying to flatten us against the dark walls.

"Shut up and just go along," I say. I wrap an arm around her waist and pick her up, then dodge into a darkened hallway a little way in front of us. I hold my breath as the guard passes us. After a few moments I let my breath out and relax against the wall. Hitomi does the same, though against my chest.

"Don't get any ideas," I say jokingly. 

"With you? Not on your life," Hitomi says. She then pushes off my chest and starts heading out of the hallway. Not knowing what else to do, I follow. She leads me through a couple of tunnels and then through the doors to the outside world. 

"I hope you're right about those guards," I whisper to her as we come to the gate that marks the end of the palace grounds. Suprisingly, the guards aren't Freidian monks. Instead their two very burly men, whose smell is a combination of alcohol, body odor, and urine. How vile. 

"Hey there sweetheart. Where are you going so late at night?" One of the guards asks Hitomi. Ooh, I can feel my blood begin to boil. _Lovely. Not Freidian monks, just your simple, run-of-the-mill jackasses._

"I'm just going for a walk with my friend," Hitomi replies with childish pleasantry.

"Aren't you a little **young** to be out?" the other guard asks with a greasy smile. I feel my hand tightening on my sword.

"Aren't you a little too old to be propositioning **young** girls'" I ask heatedly. Hitomi digs her nails into my arm. "Now, it's not a crime to leave the palace gates, and that's what **my** sweetheart and I are going to do," I continue, ignoring Hitomi's claws.

"I don't like your attitude boy," One of the guards says to me, leaning his disgusting, pockmarked face in close to mine. 

"I don't like your stench," I retort quickly. Hitomi is looking at me with murder in her eyes. The man withdraws a sword.

"Maybe we should teach this boy a lesson," the pockmarked guard says to his buddy. His friend nods. I back up a few paces. _Let them have their fun._

"Those who can't do, teach," I say simply. "You do know that, don't you?" The guards say nothing, but start walking in my direction. "You're not even going to give me a reply? How rude!"

Instantly the men charge at me, swaggering a little on their alcohol inebriated feet. Shoving Hitomi aside, I withdraw my sword and hit the first man across the base of his skull with the hilt. He falls with an unceremonious plop. The other man freezes then resumes his charge. I merely sidestep him and trip him so that he falls to the ground. I then knock him unconscious and drag the two guards off to the bushes where they can sleep it off.

Hitomi walks up to me, her hands on her hips, leaves in her hair. She looks pissed.

"That wasn't necessary," Hitomi says, stomping past me out the gate. I quickly follow her as she marches into some Freidian alleyway.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Next time I'll let them beat the shit out of me, and when they're done with that they can have a good roll with you!" I yell to her retreating back. 

Hitomi turns around sharply and simply slaps me across the face.

"Nice comeback," I say, unfazed. After being hit by Dilandau, her slaps don't even register. Her eyes spark with anger and she takes another swipe at me. This time however, I catch her hand before it gets anywhere close to my face.

"Gotcha," I say condescendingly. I know I'm being arrogant, but it's so much fun.

"Damn it Ryan!" Hitomi screams. She whips her hand from my grasp and folds her arms under her breasts. Suddenly she begins to cry. 

Well, I certainly didn't expect **this**. I feel all my sarcasm and anger melt away.

"I'm sorry Hitomi," I say, my voice softer and more gentler. More like the person I used to be. 

"Well I'd hope so! You've tried to kill me not once, but **twice**! You've been nothing but a **jackass**, and you've tried to kill all the people on this planet that I **care** about!" Hitomi says through her tears. "And that's not even mentioning that I've thought you'd been **dead** for two years!"

"I am sorry. Believe me, I am," I say quietly. Instead of the calming effect I was hoping for, the words seem to make her cry harder. Now I really don't know what to do. 

A little voice inside my head tells me I should hold her, reassure her. _Chivalry. Ah yes, that's the ticket._ I lift a hesitant arm and place it on her shoulder. She shrugs it off and cries even harder.

__

Well shit.

"Please stop crying," I plead with her. My rejected hand finds its way to my head, and I scratch it worriedly.

"Or you'll what?" she asks heatedly. An idea forms in my mind.

"Sing," I say with a grin. Hitomi looks up and smiles through her silver tears. _Whoa, talk about a mood swing._

"I like it when you sing," Hitomi says with a devilish look. "Would you sing for me?"

"Oh no, don't even try to do that! I was joking!" I reply desperately. I'm not going to sing to Hitomi. _That's demeaning, that's cheesy, that's_—Hitomi's crying again. 

"That's not fair," I grumble, "You won't even understand it!" Hitomi continues her charade. Shit.

"Here comes the sun," I begin half-heartedly, "doot-n-doo-doo." 

__

…This is the stupid thing I've ever done…what in the world would Dilandau think?…Oh, the guys can **never** know about this.

"Here comes the sun, and I say, it's all right," I continue. I break off, checking her face. She's smiling at me through her tears again. It's a very knowing smile. 

__

…Well fine then. I'll give her a good show…

"Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter. Little darling it feels like years since it's been here," I sing along with the tune inside my head. My voice grows a little stronger with every word. It feels good to sing with John Lennon again. 

"Here comes the sun, doot-n-doo-doo, here comes the sun and I say, it's all right," Hitomi laughs out loud, and the tears stop. I keep singing, grinning through my words. 

"Little darling, the smiles are returning to the faces. Little darling, it seems like years since its been here."

I point to her smiling face. Hitomi blushes bright red and turns around. I guess she understands more English then I thought.

"Here comes the sun doot-n-doo-doo, here comes the sun and I say, it's all right," I sing through my own grin. I put my hands on her shoulders and sway with the beat of the music. She sways with me.

__

…It's just like old times…

"Sun, sun, sun, here it comes," I sing into her ear. Hitomi cracks up. I stop singing and turn her around.

"**Why** are you laughing?" I ask her, even though I know the answer.

"You sound like a drunk chipmunk!" Hitomi says, then bursts into giggles. I open my mouth and put on a look of mock indignity.

"Well I do say!" I say in my most British accent, though doing that while speaking Japanese is hard. Hitomi laughs even louder, and soon I hear my own chuckles in the night air. We stand there giggling like fools for God knows how long.

Suddenly Hitomi wraps her arms around my waist, giving me a tight hug. This time, instead of acting like a stone statue, I return the embrace, even though I could kill her for hugging my side so hard. Crikey, my wound hurts.

"I haven't had this much fun in ages," Hitomi says, her voice muffled by my chest. 

__

…You don't know the half of it…

"Neither have I," I whisper back, "Neither have I." 

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****

A/N: Okay, if' anyone's laughing, I'll kill them! J Yes, I'm apologizing for the cheesiness of the last chapter, but I got swept up in the idea of Migel serenading someone. Forgive me for being a romantic (and a Beatles fan)!

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	8. Hitomi: Revelations

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Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

**A/N:** Okay, this next chapter is rather boring, but very important. This story is coming to an end soon, in perhaps 3 more chapters! Please R&R!

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_Hitomi_

Ryan's laughter rings through the early morning air. It's a beautiful sound.

We're sitting in a small public park in Freid. The greenery of the place contrasts sharply with Freid's otherwise dusty appearance. Ryan's leaning against a tree, and I'm wading in a small pond beside him. The water's clear and icy as a winter day. It's wonderful.

"I can't believe you did that!" Ryan chuckles, his entire frame shaking with his laughter.

"Well, I was curious. Hey, I didn't know!" I retort back quickly, kicking some water in his direction. He dodges the glittering spray with ease.

"Curiousity killed the cator in your case, your dad's car!" Ryan says, then erupts into more giggles.

"I didn't know how to drive! Jeez, forget I ever told you!" I reply, laughing along with him.

Ryan slowly rises to his feet and pads over to where I stand. Suddenly he swipes at the water like a cat. The impact of his hand against the water sends a small spray against my calves.

"Hey! Watch what you're doing!" I yell playfully at him. Ryan holds a finger up to his lips. He motions for me to come closer.

"Look at this," he whispers. He brings his hand up from the water, something clasped firmly in his fingers.

"Why are we whispering?" I whisper to him, bringing my head closer to his hand.

"You might scare the little chap," He replies in a whisper. _Little chap?_

"Huh?" 

Suddenly his hand springs open and a small, green frog jumps from his hand and onto my head. I recoil instinctively, then shriek and claw at the creature in my hair. Its little slimy toes are digging into my scalp, searching for a hold.

"Ryan! Get if off!" I scream at him. Ryan folds his arms across his chest and looks at me with a very smug look.

"It's only a frog," he says simply.

"A slimy little frog! Get it off!" I scream back at him.

I shake my head hard, trying to shake the animal loose. I feel the weight leave my head and I stop my shaking. The world spins a little from my jarring, but at least the frog's gone. I take a few steps towards Ryan, my intent inimical, but I trip over my own two feet and take an unexpected sideways dive into the pond. 

Luckily I'm caught a few centimeters above the glassy surface. It seems that Ryan has finally chosen to intervene in this wonderous little drama he's created.

"Careful little bird," he says under his breath, almost so that I can't hear it, "you are not a fish."

"I'm not a fish, nor am I a bird. Now let me up!" I reply snappishly. His eyes widen at my sentence, as if I've said something astonishing. _What's his problem? I didn't say anything shocking, did I?_

"How did you know what I said?" Ryan asks. He doesn't move. I risk a little sideglance. I'm still a hair's width from the water.

"You said it out loud, and I heard it. That's pretty normal," I say.

"I said it in English," Ryan says incredulously. Slowly he returns to a standing position, taking me with him. _Thank_ _God_.

"You said it English? How can that be? It was in perfect Japanese," I ask. Now I'm confused.

"I don't know. I know I said it in English," Ryan says. He scratches his head a little, his signature sign of confusion.

"Well, I understand the language here on Gaea, and when Van came to Earth he understood Japanese," I say, trying to solve the puzzle.

"Do you understand what I'm saying now?" Ryan asks.

"Of course," I reply.

"I just said that in English," Ryan says. Slowly he wades out from the pond, pondering this new development.

"Ryan, when you sang a little while ago, was that in English?" I ask. He turns around.

"Yes."

"I understood every single word," I reply. 

Ryan's eyes widen slightly at my comment, but he makes no reply. Slowly I wade out of the water and sit beside Ryan, who has taken his previous place against a tree.

"I guess Gaea is some sort of universal translator," Ryan says tiredly as I plop down beside him. I nod in agreement, slipping into a more serious mood. It seems that our fun mood has been spoiled. We sit in silence for awhile, staring at the stars. Earth is incredibly bequtiful in the night sky.

"Ryan, how did you get here?" I ask softly.

Ryan's gray eyes snap to my face, and I see pain in them. It glitters through his irises like an anguished ray of sun.

"I don't want to talk about it," he says quietly, not looking away from my face. I can tell he's talking in English. His accent had faded on Gaea, but now that he is speaking his native tongue, it's returned. His voice is rich and full.

"Please tell me," I say pleadingly. Ryan sighs a little and then looks down to his hands, which are folded in his lap. 

"It's not very clear. I remember walking home with you after we'd ran. I was walking back towards the subway, then I remember seeing a white flash of light and then everything went black. The next thing I remember was laying in the street with some old lady leaning over me. She must of seen me arrive," says Ryan simply. He flashes me a handsome smile to try and punctuate the end of his tale, and perhaps lighten the mood.

"What happened after that?" I ask softly, prodding him in his tale. I want to find out who exactly Ryan has turned out to be. 

Ryan rubs his face with his hands, mumbles something indiscernible (knowing him, probably swear words or some Beatles' quote) and then continues on.

"I think I ran from the old woman. As I said, I really don't know how everything went. It was raining and I was cold and frightened. I couldn't figure out where I was, but I knew I wasn't on Earth any longer. Hence, I wasn't seeing or hearing anything very clearly. Anyway, I was attacked by a small band of thieves. They probably thought I was some rich foreigner due to my strange clothing. I probably would have died, but a young man happened by and attacked the thieves, killing every single one—"

"Dilandau," I whisper, interrupting Ryan's monologue. Only Dilandau would be able to attack a band of grown men and triumph. Ryan nods.

"Yes, it was. Afterwards I blacked out, but he took me to the _Vione_ and there I received medical care. Eventually I returned to health and was drafted into the Dragon Slayers at Dilandau's request. Thus I becam Migel Labariel of Zaibach," Ryan states with a final air. It's very obvious he does **not** want to talk about his past. 

"So that's why you love so much," I say more to myself then to Ryan. Now the loyalty of the Dragon Slayers is becoming clear. It shocks me that Ryan stayed—_stays—_with Dilandau because he actually cares about him, not because Dilandau is the most terrifying individual in the universe. 

_And all this time I thought Dilandau had him by the balls. _This revelation annoys me incredibly.

"He saved my life. He is one of the most important people in my life, and the most loved," Ryan says, his look one of sincerity.

"Even more then your parents?" I ask. Ryan looks at me with pain in his eyes. _I'm sorry Ryan, but this needs to be addressed. Forgive me._

"Hitomi, I have a new life on Gaea. My parents are on another planet. I'll never stop loving my parents. But Dilandau is** here**, Dilandau is my life. My life as Migel," Ryan replies. His words are short, blunt, and cryptic, yet at the same time full of emotion.

"You should go back to Earth," I say softly.

"That's impossible. Even if I could return I have ties here and nothing on the Myst—Earth," Ryan replies. I feel anger flush to my cheeks. His words sting, though they're said in a neutral tone.

"I see. So Yukari, your parents, and I mean **nothing**?" I retort. Ryan looks at me with sorrow painted on his features. I want to reach out and snatch the words from the air. _That was a harsh, not to mention unfair thing to say._

"II think you should go back to the palace before your missed," Ryan says sadly, "There you can answer your own questions." Ryan stands up. A hurt, painful anger radiates from his body. 

"And what are you going to do?" I ask, standing up as well. He walks to the pond, staring at the reflecting waters. His eyes are alight with the reflections of the stars. I hang back, wary from the previous frog episode. 

"Go back to Dilandau, finish this bloody war," Ryan says. 

"Kill more innocent people?" I ask. Ryan turns, sending me a dark, wearied look.

"No! Hitomi, why can't you understand? **I don't want this war**. When it's over I'm going to make a life here," Ryan replies with the subtle, condescendending patience of a parent.

"Hmmmake a new life? With who? Your precious, psychotic Dilandau, perhaps?" I reply with biting sarcasm, "What will you do for fun? Burn entire countries to the ground?" 

My words drip with acid. Why Ryan can't understand his horrifice lifestyle is beyond me. He's finally escaped his loathed role as a killer, yet he yearns to return to it. 

"Stop it. I can't abandon Dilandau and Zaibach. I owe them my life," Ryan replies harshly. His simple words are strangely sincere—brutally honest and believable. For a second I'm struck dumb, staring at his pained face against the moonlit waters. Finally, words come to me.

"I never knew you to be a killer, Ryan," I say softly, finding my voice, "I guess Gaea not only changes languages, it changes **souls**." 

Ryan's eyes shimmer for a second in the starlight. It physically hurts me to look at him. Abruptly I turn on my heel and begin walking towards the heart of Freid.

"Don't walk away!" Ryan's voice rings out from behind me. It sounds choked, like he's holding back tears, but I know Ryan would never cry. I realize how deeply I've hurt him, yet I continue to walk away from him.

"You can't run away from me, Hitomi. I'll catch you. You know I can," Ryan calls out. Ever-so-slightly, I quicken my pace. Eventually I hear his rapid footsteps behind mine. Instinctively I break into a run.

_"I win again!"_

_"You are such a braggart!"_

_"Aw, is wittle Hitomi jeawous?"_

I hear Ryan closing in on me quickly. He's faster then I ever remembered, probably due to all of his soldier's training. 

_Well, you have to be quick to run away from heavily armed enemy guymelefs who want to reduce you to a pile of smoking bits._

Before I've even gone 100 meters I feel Ryan's arms encircle my waist. He turns me around in his embrace and hugs me to his chest. Immediately I hug him back. I didn't really want to hurt him. 

"This is so **hard**," I whisper into Ryan's chest. "You've changed so much, but I still love you, despite the fact that I can't understand whatever illogical reasoning is going on your tiny skull!" I feel Ryan tremble as he laughs slightly at my annoyance. I squeeze him extra hard and he stops his ghost giggles.

"I'm sorry Hitomi. I suppose being worst enemies in a war that decides the fate of this planet can put a strain on anybody's friendship," Ryan says, covering his feelings with humour. "I personnally think we've done pretty good. I haven't killed you yet, and you've only slapped me once. How's that?"

I nod in response. I'm too choked up to say anything. His familiar joking manner reminds me briefly of Earth, sending a wave of homesickness over my body. I want everything to go back to the way it was 2 years ago. 

I feel Ryan's demeanor change as he catches my sadness. He gently kisses the top of my head then rests his chin in my hair. _Whoa. _He's never **kissed** me before. Hugs: yes, kisses: no. Internally I shake my head. Everyone's emotions are running high. It's probably nothing, completely innocent. Ryan would neverwould he? 

"I have to go," Ryan whispers into my hair, "The Dragon Slayers have probably sent out a rescue mission or Dilandau's on his merry way. I need to leave before anyone gets here. This would be a little hard to explain, since I am supposed to kill you."

"Dilandau would fry me before you could say anything anyway," I reply, reaching deep down inside myself to lighten the moment. Ryan laughs slightly at my remark.

God, I don't want to let him go. I just got him back.

_He has to go._

I sigh and pull back from the embrace.

"You should go. I'll find my way back to the palace," I say. Ryan looks at me sadly, like a puppy being scolded, but nods.

"Are you sure?" He asks, releasing me from his arms.

_No. I couldn't find the palace even if it my life depended on it._

"Of course," I reply instead. I see that he's blushing slightly. He probably realized how intimate we just looked. Oh well.

"Be careful, there are dangerous men about," Ryan says in his joking manner, though I sense a trace of seriousness in his words. I grin reassuringly at him.

"I think I handled you pretty well. Anyway, I can outrun them if I have to, which I won't. Now **go**!" I reply to him. Ryan smiles at me.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way," he says. With that, Ryan leans in and kisses me on the cheek, but I move suprisedly before his lips reach my face and he ends up kissing the corner of my mouth. Ryan pulls back quickly and flashes me an embarrassed grin, blushing a little. He then turns and melts into the background.

_Damn. He's too good at that._

Hesitantly I put a hand to the spot where he kissed me. It's slightly damp from his saliva. That should gross me out, but it doesn't. After all, we shared sports drinks for years.

_Why did he kiss me? Twice? Is it possible that Ryan could have a crush on me?_

Now that's one of stupidest thoughts I've ever had. We're good friends, like sister and brother even, but not lovers

_Okay, new topic._

There's a few faint rays of morning light in the sky. Dawn is fast approaching. A hand of panic grips my heart and squeezes it hard. I only have precious few hours before I'm missed. And that's if I'm lucky. 

I haven't been lucky in a long time.

Quickly I point my feet in what I think is the direction of the palace and begin walking, my mind spinning around a certain gray-eyed boy. After a couple of city blocks I stop and realize how painfully lost I am. I begin to nervously toy with my pendant, wondering where—

My pendant. Jeez, I can be really stupid sometimes.

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	9. Migel: Confession

Lost and Found

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

**A/N:** Ah yes, my 9th chapter! Being an avid Folken **worshipper** I had to get the bishie Strategos in here. *Bangs head on table* And I was doing so good at keeping him out of this! Oh well, Folken must always make an appearance and say something melodramatic and be extremely unemotional in every fanfic I write. Please R&R!

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_Migel_

_I kissed her. I can't believe I did that! What in hell was I thinking? Was I even thinking?_

"Halt, you there! What's your name?" a voice rings out through the darkness, breaking my thoughts. 

_Well, that _**_does_**_ seem to be the question of the week._

"My name is Migel Labariel. I'm a soldier of Zaibach, belonging to the Dragon Slayer unit," I reply tiredly. The voice doesn't return for a moment.

I stand in a small clearing of trees outside of Freid. After leaving Hitomi I've traveled to the last coordinates given to me by Dilandau for the _Vione's_ location. I'm actually very surprised that I managed to find it. 

Damn it! Where is that guard?

_Probably checking my credentialsthe ones that read about the stupid idget from the "Mystic Moon" who has fallen in love with his best friend, who by the way, is now a mortal enemy. I'm sure they'd love to have me back._

"We're sending someone down," the voice rings out suddenly, interrupting my self-chastising. Suddenly a ramp lowers from the floating fortress, making me jump back slightly so as not to get pummeled on the head. A short, pale figure descends down the ramp, its hand resting on its scabbard. I smile to myself as the figure becomes recognizable. It's the one and only Chesta. The killer with a face of a cherub. 

_"O serpent heart, hid with a flowering face! Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?"_Chesta was made for Shakespeare. 

_Unfortunately, you are the hapless Romeo._ Ah, but Romeo has to have a Juliet. I'm lacking in that department.

"Migel?" Chesta's familiar voice calls out. The tone is questioning, yet authorative.

"Chesta Daliente, you haven't forgotten me?" I reply softly. Chesta's eyes brighten at the sound of his name, and his baby blue eyes clearly recognize my face.

"Thank gods you're back!" Chesta exclaims, removing his hand from his sword hilt. He tosses his blonde head over his shoulder, "Guards, it's all right. The man is who he claims to be," he yells to the unseen soldiers.

I step up to the shorter Slayer, and we both climb up the ramp, passing the guards who give us a brief salute. 

_Home again, home again, jiggedy jig._

"What hour is it?" I ask absently as we walk into the constant darkness of the _Vione_. 

"About 3 in the morning, I'd say," Chesta replies, rubbing a cerulean eye slightly. "They called me to come and identify' you. Thanks for interrupting my sleep," he says good naturedly.

"Sorry, Chess. If I would of known I would of arrived at a more convenient time. Next time I get captured by enemy troops I'll remember that when I plan my escape," I say with more then a little sarcasm. Chesta grins at my remark.

"Well, it's good to have you back," Chesta says with a roll of his eyes as we walk along the corridors, "It's been tense without you here. Dilandau-sama's gone off his rocker. He hasn't slept since the battle, keeping a constant vigil—that reminds me, you **are** supposed to see him, I bet he's been informed of your arrival. You're also supposed to meet Folken-sama the moment you set foot on the ship." Chesta stops in front of the door to Dilandau's throne room. "I'd see Dilandau-sama first though, regardless of Folken-sama's rank."

"My, aren't we the little messenger boy?" I ask, grinning at Chesta's monologue. Chesta grins back in response, but it turns into a yawn.

"Whatever. I'm going to go back to bed now. You have fun at your meetingsone fair warning, Dilandau-sama hasn't had sleep for the better part of this week—"

"Enough said," I say, cutting the blue-eyed boy off. He raises a few fingers as a wave goodbye and turns and heads off to his room which he shares with Dalet.

_Ooh, brace yourself boy, this one's gonna hurt._

I sigh resignedly and push open the doors to the throne room. 

Dilandau sits alone on his throne, his legs spilling over the arms of the chair. His arms are behind his silvery head, which rests on the other arm. His eyes are open, yet unfocused in front of him. _Damn, that _**_cannot_**_ be comfortable._ I bow and touch my head to the ground out of respect, then rise to my feet, feeling ill at ease. Usually Dilandau would at least **look** to see who had entered his precious throne room.

"I have returned, Dilandau-sama," I say, unsure on how to proceed. 

My words seem to switch Dilandau on like a light. Suddenly he moves into a standing postion as fluidly as a cat. Most think his grace is beautiful; I find it disconcerting. His ruby eyes brighten as they brush over my face. His look is indecipherable. _Big surprise there._

I notice that the usually brilliant garnet irises are bleary and slightly bloodshot, but that's the only sign of Dilandau's vigil. It's probably not even noticeable to the other Slayers, but I've spent the most time with our commander. Besides his eyes however, his appearance is flawless, right down to the curl of his bangs.

_Typical Dilandau, perfect in everyway, no matter what happens._

"Welcome back Labariel," Dilandau states simply, his voice as melodious as bells. _Yeah, Hell's bells is more like it._ He walks towards me until his nose almost touches mine. I smell a slap coming.

"Folken wants to see you for some reason or another. I'm pleased to note that you came to me first," Dilandau says. With that he gives me a brisk nod and walks out of the throne room.

**_What?_**_ That was odd._

I was expecting at least a tirade and a slap. Dilandau's lack of both is perfectly terrifying. He's never reacted that way to me before. _Jeez, people are acting strange lately._

With yet another sigh I walk out of the abandoned throne room, and proceed down to where Folken's usual haunts are. He's either in his lab, his quarters (which I doubt), or Emperor Dornkirk's "reception area". I arrive at the latter first. Peeking my head in, I can tell the room is empty. The old geezer's face is nowhere to be seen. I swear the monarch's barely a year younger then God.

Making my way down through the corridors I pass Folken's chambers, but I doubt he's in there. He's never in there, especially if wanted to talk to a subordinate. I just hope whatever he has to say isn't very damned long and important because all I want to do is sleep for a millenia. It's been a very long couple of days.

The door to the lab is closed. I reach to knock on the door, and I feel apprehension course through my veins. I've never actually **talked** with the Strategos. I've only seen him in passing. That strikes me as quite funny, since this **is** Folken's ship, and a nervous giggle escapes my lips as I raise my hand and rap on the metal. 

The door opens silently, sweeping open with a dramatic air. I step inside, unsure of what's going on. I peer to the left and the right, but there's no one there. Suddenly the door closes behind me without a sound yet again. _Okay, this creepy. What the hell is going on?_

I shiver involuntary. I still am only wearing my leather pants and black cloak/shirt/toga thing. I'm surprised Dilandau didn't say anything.

"You are Migel Labariel?" rumbles a deep voice from the somewhere in the room. My eyes search the darkness, but all I can make out are the silhouettes of many vials, beakers, and charts that are scattered on what I take to be desks. I blink my eyes rapidly, trying to get them to adjust to the gloom. _How does he _**_see_**_ in this? What does he have? X-ray vision? I bet that'd come in handy with those kitten twins of his._

"Yes Sir," I reply. Slowly Folken's tall, pale form emerges from the darkness. He looks unrumpled, despite the hour. His black Madoshi cloak blends in with the gloom, making only his sad, pale features visible. The serious, stoic Strategos—_Ha! An alliteration! Dear God I'm nervous!—_ is here in all his darkened glory.

Probably sensing my discomfort with the dark surroundings, Folken, with a fluid move of his left arm, flips a switch on the wall, turning on the lights. I squint as the brightness flashes in my eyes. As usual, Folken stands still, no flicker of emotion on his face. Suddenly all the beakers, vials, measures and such come into view. The room is ten times bigger then I ever thought it was. Probably twice the size of the dining hall. _Ah, the benefits of owning your own floating fortress. A gigantic laboratoryI could think of better things to splurge on._

"I sent a deceptant to recover you, did you meet with him?" Folken questions me after a moment, leaving me some time to recover myself.

"No, Folken-sama," I reply promptly. I wonder at his usage of "deceptant". Sounds interesting.

"How did you escape?" Folken asks, his eyes intent on my face, showing his interest. I'm thrown off by the question. Usually Folken isn't inquisitive about the tales of the lives of the Dragon Slayers. He probably thinks that I did something to cause an international incident. _Great._

"I used my dogtags to pick the lock, Sir," I reply carefully, hoping he'll enjoy the indirect compliment and not question me about my evening. That could be dangerous.

"And you simply walked out of the Palace?" Folken replies, his skepticism evident.

"I had totake care' of a few guards, Sir," I reply slowly. Why any of this matters, I know not. I shift on my feet uncomfortably.

Folken nods in reply, then looks as if he's about to say something when a low hissing sound comes from somwhere in the gigantic room. To me it sounds like a dying cat.

_That was poetic Migel. A real winning simile there._

"Excuse me," the Strategos rumbles grandly. He turns and walks to a large array of experiments. He stops in front of a red vial held over a blue flame. Folken takes the vial with his left hand and pours it into a large beaker that contains a pale yellow liquid. While concentrating on his "concoction", he reaces for the burner to turn it off with his right hand—which is made out of metal.

_Holy Hell! What the _**_fuck_**_ is that?_

I hear a faint gasp echo through the room that I know to be my own. I stiffen and kick myself mentally. Gods, I've heard the rumors of Folken having a bionic arm (including one really weird one where he even had wings) but I never believed it.

_Well, believe it now._

Folken turns around and walks back to where I stand at attention. I'm trying to make my face as emotionless as his, but it would be easier to milk a rooster.

"Shocking isn't it?" Folken asks in a bemused tone. He holds out his right hand and flexs his fingers, looking t the appendage in wonder. I feel my face fall. "However, you certainly handled it far better then I did when I saw it for the first time."

_Huh? What kind of response is that?_

"Itcaught meby surprise Folken-sama" I reply, struggling for a tactful answer.

"Well, it surprised me that you would lie to high-ranking officer in the Zaibach army," Folken says coolly, not missing a beat.

I feel my face fall again. Suddenly all of my remaining strength seems to dissipate.

"I" I begin, but falter. For the first time I realize that his eyes are the same intimidating garnet as Dilandau's, and they're staring right at my face. This is not looking good.

"You're holding something back, soldier. I can tell by your eyes. What is it?" Folken asks patiently, "I feel it concerns that Mystic Moon girl. I noticed that she saved your life at the water battle. Why?"

Yep. This man is definitely a genius.

I almost begin to deny the allegation, but it's obviously pointless. My goose is cooked and I know it. Arguing with a higher-ranking officer would be suicide. 

_Though after what I'm going to say, suicide might not look so bad. _At this thought I feel my knees go weak.

"Can I sit down, Sir? I'll tell you everything you want, but I **really** need to sit down," I say tremulously. Yes, I know it's a rather brash statement, but I'm too exhausted (not to mention scared) to care. And I'm shaking so badly I'm going to fall down in a few moments.

_In other words Labariel, you're chickenshit. You can battle heavily armed guymelefs, switch planets, and kill with ease, but your afraid to talk to Folken, who's talks so often he's almost a _**_mute_**_. Yep, you're chickenshit._

With a small flourish Folken whisks two chairs from behind a mess of papers and vials. He seats himself in one and I in the other.

"Proceed," he says simply, facing me with those intense red eyes. That's an order and I know it. Still, I'm somewhat bewildered by the strange turn of events, and I merely gape stupidly at Folken until he repeats the command.

And so I begin my tale, the entire confusing story. My old relationship with Hitomi, my arrival from the Mystic Moon, up until tonight (excusing the embarrassing "singing episode" and my new feelings for Hitomi, though I think Folken picks up on them anyway). When my tale is finished, I sit quietly in front of the Strategos, unsure of how he'll react to my oral biography. So far he hasn't even blinked.

"You're relations with Miss Kanzaki might prove very useful," Folken muses in a quiet voice after a short hiatus. I feel my heart drop into my stomach, and black, burning anger replace it's spot.

"I won't decieve her, Sir," I reply forcefully, letting Folken catch my anger. Screw being respectful to authority.

"I'm not planning on it. Of course, it could help our cause immensely, but I'm sick of twisting people's emotions for my own gain," Folken says tiredly. I feel a rush of hope surge through my blood. This certainly wasn't the reaction I had expected. Surprised as I am by Folken's decision, I'm grateful nonetheless. 

"However, I suggest you cut all ties with Miss Kanzaki. She is your **enemy** now. If you keep up your relationship' with your past, it'll only lead to your heart's destruction," Folken says, his eyes bright with a pain I've never seen, "I should know."

_Vanoh god, he's warring against his own brother. I never even realized that. And I thought _**_I_**_ had problems._

"You have a hard choice to make soldier. You have to choose between your heart and your country," Folken says, his eyes undoubtly reading my expression perfectly. The words hit me like a rock. I suck in a large gulp of air.

"What would you choose, Sir?" I ask dumbly, my voice sounding like a lost child. _Hell, I _**_am_**_ a lost child. Lost on a foreign planet._

"I made the wrong choice," Folken responds quietly. The rock hits me again. His violet teardrop is glaring in the pale light. 

I don't know how to respond to a comment such as that. Folken doesn't seem to want a response anyway, He stands up from his chair and I rise to my feet as well.

"You should return to your quarters and reassure Dilandau. He's been a littleedgy since your capture," Folken says.

_Ah, such tact. Translation: If you thought Dilandau was crazy before, now he's completely gone insane. It was a short trip._

"Thank you Folken-sama," I say. I know what I've been given, but still I have to ask—"Why are you doing this?"

Folken, for what must be the first time ever, smiles at my insolence.

"Because you're too young to be so jaded," he says amusedly. If he was a laughing man he would probably chuckle.

_That's not funny. I don't see how that's even a reason_

"Yes Sir," I reply, then smartly turn on my heel and exit the room. Before I'm even through the door the lights flicker off behind me. Soon a slow, somber whistling starts from behind the closed door. I grin. As sorrowful as the tune sounds, it usually means that Folken's happy. I walk to my room. 

Pushing through the door to my chambers, I look to Dilandau's bed. The commander is lying on the mattress, curled in a loose fetal position. His armor is still on, and his bed is still made. I smile to myself. Ah, the sweet innocence of slumber. 

Gently I remove the fiery armor from Dilandau's sleeping form and slip him under the covers. He mumbles in his sleep, saying something that sounds suspiciously like "rabid purple cow". I smile again as I pull the covers over his pale frame. It's good to be home.

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	10. Migel: "Dona Eis Requiem"

A/N: Hello

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

**A/N:** Hello! One of the last installments of the "Lost and Found" is here! **No, not the last!!** Again, none of this follows the timeline (duh, Migel is still alive, he should have died a little while ago, but Zongi didn't make it! MWAHAHAHA!). Thank you to everyone who has reviewed! You keep me going! Um, just so you know, this is yet another battle scene that I can't write. Aw shucks! **^.^** Anyways, thanks again!! Please R&R!!

PS~ "Dona Eis Requiem" is Latin for "Grant to them rest."

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_Migel_

_I am the EggmanWHOO!_

_They are the EggmenWHOO!_

_I am the Walrusku-ku-ka-chu! _

Today Zaibach will conquer. Escaflowne is as good as gone. We are the Dragon Slayers, we are immortal. 

_Whooee! _

I'm incredibly happy today. After my little "conversation" with Folken, I feel as if thirty tons of sand has been lifted off my shoulders. 

_I am the EggmanWHOO!_

_They are the EggmenWHOO!_

_I am the Walrusku-ku-ka-chu!_

The ground shakes as my Alseides unit drops to the dry earth. _Scratch that, dry "gaea."_

"Unit 4, ready," I say into my intercom, my British accent showing a bit more then usual due to the fact that I'm feeling unusually hyper

_"Looks like Migel got a piece of ass last night"_

_"Looks like someone's jealous, Dalet"_

The thought of, **ahem**, "romantic relationships involving physical activity" reminds me of a certain green-eyed girl, and I feel my enthusiasm wane. Cooling my giddiness, I sit and listen to the droning of the other Slayers as they call in their preparedness. Finally an insane giggle punctuates the last of the soldiers.

Battle time!_ Switching to Migel's "serious" frame of mind._

"Let's play," Dilandau's voice crackles. I see his crimson mecha turn to the silent Dragon, but the Ivory giant runs past the commander and charges right at Chesta's guymelef. I see the soldier lift his metallic hand in a desperate attempt to block Van's surprise attack, but it's in vain. A shrill cry sounds over the intercom, then cuts off as the horrid sword slices through the blue guymelef. 

_Chesta_

_Oh my fucking God that was fast! _

_Chesta_

_"They called me to come and identify' you. Thanks for interrupting my sleep."_

_Oh God, Chess_

_I'll never talk to him again, laugh with him, I'll never_

_"Quoth the Raven, _

Nevermore Chess, now you'll sleep **forever**more.

"Dilandau-sama!" Gatti's voice calls out, his voice higher-pitched and more terrified then I've ever heard in my life. I shake my head and snap out of my sorrowful trance. Van stands over Gatti's Alseidesor its smoking bits. Other scraps and pieces lie around. My fellow Dragon Slayers are gone.

_What the hell? Is he a demon? Is _**_this_**_ the boy-king Hitomi is helping? Well Van, you are going to die you son-of-a-bitch._

"GattiDalet?" Dilandau's voice questions over the intercom. He hasn't move since Chesta's opening slaughter.

_And we thought we would never die. We are the immortal Dragon Slayers. We slay dragons, not the other way around. _

"Migel!" Dilandau shrieks to me. Damn it! Escaflowne swings its huge sword towards my Alseides unit. Quickly I block the blow with my sword, but the force of the blow is fast and I feel my left leg bend under the momentum of the thrust.

Swiftly I slice at Van's momentarily vulnerable leg, but he blocks it at the last minute, reducing the damage. 

"Damn it!" I hear him cry out as my sword strikes the target, though weakened. Good, I hope that hurt. 

Van slices again at my melef, and I retaliate with a shot of my Crima Claw, but Van's so fast, so goddamn **fast** that he hits my left arm, and I feel the appendage crumble into bloody shards of bone. The pain flashes through me like a hot fire. My vision goes white, but slams back into focus just in time to see Escaflowne's lethal blow aimed at my heart. I wince and feel the sword hit me square in the chest, despite my last-ditch attempts to block it. The cockpit crashes in around me and I feel my ribs crunch and shatter as my Alseides collapses on the ground.

"Migel!" Dilandau's screams rings in my ears.

_My savior. Please come and deliver me. _

Somewhere deep inside, I know my savior can't help me. My life's bleeding away like a gushing river of death.

_Ah, déjà vu?_ Oh, I think so. Only this time I'm not going to make it.

I close my eyes, awaiting the final blow. I hear the wheezing of my own breath. Every time I inhale it feels as if I'm stabbing a dagger into my chest. Doesn't matterI think I've passed beyond the pain.

"Van!" cries a familiar voice. Ah, tis Hitomi, my secret Juliet. _Secret in my mind_. I hear the concern in her voice, and it hurts ten times worse then what I feel now. There's love in that voice. Love for the man who is killing me, killing my heart.

I feel the jealousy swell inside me like a balloon. It inflates my heart and my will with a foreign adrenaline. With a war cry that is likened to a whisper, I take my right hand and push my mangled hatch open, then heave myself out of the cockpit.

On weak knees I stand up, waiting for the white flashes of the oncoming oblivion to pass from my vision. _Ah, the previews of the coming attraction._ I feel bitterness ooze from my pores.

I hold my shattered left arm against my battered chest, standing as straight and proud as Dilandau would want_wants_.

"Here Van! Take your best shot you bastard!" I scream with all my might. The blood flies from my mouth with my words, painting a crimson picture of my hate in the wind. 

"I'll get you one day you son of a bitch," I shout again, but I choke upon my own blood. I turn my head to spit out the vermilion poison, but my knees give out and I crash to the metal below. The whiteness comes again.

_No, not nowI can't go now. _

_"Ryan, track star or singer?"_

_"I'm going to work at McDonald's"_

__

Suddenly the present slaps me in the face. Van stands over me, muttering something about Fanelia. _Oh hell no, you're not slicing me yet. Fuck your goddamn Fanelia, Van Fanel. I have a goodbye I have to say._

"Hitomi," I hiss through my blood-choked mouth. I cough again and spew the bile and plasma upon my Alseides. The pain courses through my body and I clasp my chest as the wave of agony rolls over me. My last words are in vain.

_Come, my demons. I'm here to accept your fiery embrace. Take—_

"Ryan!" a voice calls through my hazy consciousness. 

_Ryan died a long time ago. An angel came for him_

I open my eyes. I'll see Death when it comes.

An angel kneels atop my Alseides, her honey-colored hair dancing with the wind and the green eyes that were made by God. 

_Hitomi_

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	11. Hitomi: Gone

Lost and Found

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

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_Hitomi_

"For Fanelia," Van's low, guttural tone emits from the giant mecha. The huge, ivory sword is poised above Ryan's guymelef, seconds away from delivering the fatal blow. 

_He's going to kill him. Oh god, he's actually going to do it._

Yes, I stood by while he killed the first one, the one who they called Chesta. Yes, I stood by while the next one fell and the one after that. Yes, I stood by while every single boy fell in a spray of screams.

Well, I'm not going to stand by while he kills the last one.

"Van, no!" I scream across the crimson field, but my cry is lost in the wind. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I know I **have** to get to Ryan. Quickly I dash to where the sapphire guymelef lies. Although I can't see it, I know Ryan's broken body lies on top of the huge metal mound. 

"Hitomi! Stop!" Van cries to me angrily. His guymelef stands poised to strike. I reply by scrambling up the fallen giant. Screw him.

_Be alive. Just be alive._

I feel my stomach flip flop as Ryan comes into view. He's crumpled on his right side, holding a mangled appendage that I take to be his left arm. His gray eyes are closed and his brown locks are sweaty and sticking out in weird directions. A small trickle of blood flows from his mouth. I watch for a tense second for a sign of breath. Mercifully it comes.

Slowly I kneel at his side, tenderly brushing the brown locks away from his face. I see through his ripped uniform his crushed chest. He's probably suffering from broken ribs and one or two punctured lungs.

"Ryan," I whisper to him. His steel-colored eyes snap open at the sound of my voice. He offers a weak smile as a sign of recognition. It serves also as a mask for his pain.

"You're always saving me," he whispers weakly. The blood pours from his mouth in a torrent with each word. The sight makes me ill, but I shake off the feeling.

"I came a little too late this time, didn't I?" I reply quietly. 

Ryan nods in response. He closes his eyes and grimaces in pain, curling into himself. Gently I take Ryan's good hand in my own. A small comfort. Ryan looks back up to me with a wince upon his face. Slowly he rises to a sitting position, gently leaning against me for support. Carefully I wrap my arms around him so his right shoulder leans against my chest.

_Typical Ryan, always trying to be strong. I wish I were as strong as he is._

I feel my eyes begin to burn with an all too familiar sensation.

_Oh no, I'm _**_not_**_ going cry. Not now. _Against my will, traitorous tears course down my cheeks. Well fuck. 

"Don't," Ryan whispers fiercely, catching sight of my tears, "don't cry tears for me. Cry for Zaibach's victims, my victims." 

"You are a victim of Zaibach," I reply shakily. 

"I know, I know," Ryan replies softly. He turns his head and spits out a mouthful of hot blood, then his head falls weakly upon my shoulder. He moans, and I feel his body tighten as the pain courses through him.

_Pain encased in skin, yes, pain encased in skin. That's all he is right now, is pain encased in skin._

I shut my eyes tightly, forcing the simple morbid rhyme out of my head. I pull Ryan closer, trying to absorb his agony in vain. I feel the old grief of years ago hit me full force in the gut. A sudden foreboding loneliness washes over me.

"Please Ryan, don't go. I just found you," I say selfishly. 

"It's all right Hitomi. You're strong. You've already been through this once anyway," Ryan says, trying to force his trademark sarcasm. I laugh bitterly at his remark, but it comes out more as a sob. 

Ryan looks up at me with glassy eyes. Eyes that are full of love that I can never return, not in the way he wants. He doesn't have a lot time left. He tries to say something, but nothing but a thin trickle of blood leaves from his mouth.

_Pain encased in skin_

Ryan's breath is coming in short labored gasps. His complexion is white and waxy, like that of a corpse and I can feel his body trembling with pain-induced cold.

_Pain encased in skin_

Trembling, I brush Ryan's messy bangs away from his eyes with my hand. Gently I cradle his head, then lean down and kiss Ryan full on the mouth. He inhales sharply with surprise (or pain), then returns the kiss, his emotions pouring forth through his kiss. I feel his sorrow, his pain, and his bittersweet joy through his lips. He knows I don't love him the way he loves me. It is not a kiss of burning passion—simply a tender kiss of love.

I feel my tears begin to pour down my cheeks again in a hot wave of sorrow. I feel his blood on my lips, rouging them with death. But most of all, I feel his soul.

Slowly Ryan pulls away, his look distant and bewildered. His eyes are wide, his pupils dilated. He's hovering somewhere in a far off place between this world and ours.

_Between Earth and Gaea, between reality and dreams, between life and death._

"I love you, Hitomi," Ryan says suddenly, his eyes snapping into focus. His gentle voice is weak with emotion. With agonizing grace he turns his head to the side and kisses my hand that still cradles his head.

_"I'm sorry it had to be this way"_

"I love you too, Ryan," I reply softly. I'm sorry too.

"Thank you," Ryan says. He smiles brilliantly at me, a classic grin that could illuminate this world and Earth. 

But the smile stops.

_"It's all right Hitomi"_

His breathing stops.

_"You're strong"_

And his heart stops.

_"I love you, Hitomi"_

Ryan Michael Labariel is dead. 

I suck in my breath as my heart surges with grief.

"May the gods welcome your soul," I say, remembering his words to Allen. I look into his glassy eyes. Nothing lies within. Quickly I close them with my fingers. Hot tears drip down my face.

_"You've already been through this once anyway_"

It doesn't get any easier. _Dear god, it doesn't get any easier at all_.

Gingerly I place a hand to my mouth, feeling the sticky, still-warm blood from Ryan's kiss. To wipe it away would be sacrilege. Softly I lick my lips, feeling the bitter taste of iron and my salt tears on my tongue. Swiftly the film of crimson blood dissolves in my mouth, and whatever evidence of Ryan's kiss is gone.

_Gone._ The word echoes through my veins.

"Ryan," I whisper fiercely, as if calling his name will bring him back. A small moan resounds from the back of my throat as I speak.

_I lost this one too. I said I wasn't going to stand by while I lost him, but I did._

I failed. A stream of tears pours down my face. I lower my face in sorrow, sobbing for all I have lost.

_"Don't cry for me"_

Ryan's words hit me with full force. With a resigned sigh, I blink my tears away. _I won't cry anymore, Ryan, I promise. At least not on the outside._

Slowly I bring Ryan's heavy body to my own, hugging him fiercely. I don't take heed of his injuries anymore. There's no need.

_No need, no need. He's _**_gone_**.

At this thought a choked sob escapes my lips and falls upon Ryan's newly deaf ears. But no tears fall. Never again. 

And so I sit upon the damaged Alseides, my face buried in Ryan's soft chestnut hair, rocking back and forth as the darkness overwhelms me.

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**A/N:** *SOB* Yes, I did it. I gave you a very unhappy ending. I just squished all of the Hitomi x Migel romance possibilities, didn't I? Actually, I've gotten quite a few requests to have an alternate "happy" ending for everyone so that they don't come and burn done my house and kill my children. Oh, and another thing, the entire kiss scene was inspired by happenings in Sarah-neko's fanfic, "Scars on the Heart," which is one of the best fanfictions running around out there! Thank you for reading! I'll be including an epilogue soon in case you would like to read it! **^.^**

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	12. 

Lost and Found

Lost and Found

By: rainjewel

**A/N:** Hello again! Here is the epilogue! It would have been out much sooner, but I came down with the sickies and was _very_ out of it for awhile! Wow! I got a lot of reviews from everyone over the last chapter (even some flames)! That makes me really happy! Anyways, enjoy!

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_Hitomi_

I'm sitting on the field where the battle took place a few days ago. Seventeen souls died here. Only two were resurrected.

I came tonight to try and piece together what happened, the battle, my little trip to the afterlife, and most importantly Ryan's death. But for some reason my mind draws a complete blank.

With a sigh I bring my knees up to my chest. I would look at the midnight stars, but Earth, the "Mystic Moon" is up there, and I don't want to look at it. 

Ryan came from the Mystic Moon.

I wanted to remember him tonight, sort of as a tribute. A simple way to end this pain. Yes, a wonderful idea so it seemed, but my brain seems to not want to remember these things. It's as if everything has been locked in a box inside my mind labeled "Do Not Touch," at least not tonight. 

I remember lying on my bed after the battle, curled on my side with my head in my arms, remembering everything about Ryan. I didn't move. I didn't cry openly, just bore the secret pain in my chest like a heavy iron chain. 

Van thought I was upset from of seeing all the bloodshed. That and rescuing him from the "Land of the Dead," but he would never admit to the latter openly. Merle simply considered me "the freak from the Mystic Moon." And Allen, well, he thought I'd simply seen too much for such a fragile lady as myself. 

"Hitomi?" a voice breaks through the darkness. _Ah, yet another insomniac._

"Yes Van?" I ask, not needing to turn around to see whom it is. I'd know his voice anywhere.

In response Van sits down beside me. He steals his gloved hand through my folded arms and drags out one reluctant hand. Gently he weaves his fingers with mine, creating a nice, comforting handhold. I smile at his newfound affection. Ever since the entire "Dying Episode" that happened on the battlefield, we've been more open to each other. Van's come out of his shell, and I've actually become slightly braver to admitting my true feelings. Now we share these hidden intimacies that I'm starting to hold very dear to my heart. 

"What are you doing out here?" Van asks softly, noting my rather distant mood. I think he'd assumed that I was out of my depression. Well, we all know what happens when you assume things.

"Trying to think of everything that's happened," I reply truthfully. Van nods, looking unsure of what to say. "But so far I'm failing," I add on. Van frowns at this, his facial expressions keeping a running commentary on my words. 

With an exasperated sigh (I seem to be sighing a lot lately) I stretch my feet out in front of me and wiggle my toes. Van looks at me oddly for a moment then turns his head up to the night sky. For a long time we stay that way, saying nothing.

"You know," I say finally, "you never told me how you died." Van turns his head to me, a smile on his face. However, his russet irises show the pain my question sparked. Interesting.

"Hitomi, I want you to think about what you just said and realize how absurd you sounded," he says lightly with a forced grin. A cute grin, but a forced one.

"Yes, it's absurd, but why won't you tell me?" I ask again. When I want to be I'm a very persistent person.

"Why won't you tell me about that Zaibach soldier?" Van asks, his voice losing its light tone. 

_Just like those old action television shows, I can see the screen now: "_**_BAM_**_!"_

"Don't answer a question with a question!" I snap back. The wave of sorrow that had ensconced me earlier comes back in the form of a tsunami. 

"Why? You scared to answer?" Van replies back with equal ferocity. I realize I'm still holding his hand and I try to snatch it back, but Van doesn't let go.

"I asked you first!" I say indignantly. 

"I asked you second," Van replies simply.

"Then you answer first!" I retort, vaguely aware how stupid this argument is beginning to sound.

"And you'll answer second?" Van asks.

_Deep breath._

"Yes," I say challengingly. Van smiles. 

"They came for me, the Dragon Slayers," Van begins. His mood changes abruptly, making his voice soft and his eyes deep. The chocolate irises search mine, feeling for a reaction. "Their souls, I suppose, came for mine."

"How can that—" I begin to ask, but Van holds up a hand to silence me.

"Do you want to hear my answer or not?" Van asks in a strange hybrid tone of jest and seriousness. I nod in reply.

"I remember seeing them in my guymelef. They spoke to me," Van says, his eyes dropping now to his feet, "I can see them so clearly. There was one with chin length hair; he was the first. I don't even think he said anything. Then came the sweet-faced one, the boy with a child's face. I don't even remember what he said, but he had the saddest blue eyes," Van drones on, his voice thick with some unnamed motion.

Suddenly it hits me like a ton of bricks. _Ryan_. _Oh my god, _**_Ryan_**_ could be one of them. Heaven knows he didn't like Van. _I stiffen inwardly; steeling myself against a blow that will never come, at least physically. But I have to put Ryan aside for now. I'm going to be strong. I'll have plenty of time to think on him in a few minutes. Right now, Van is going to have to let his emotions out, not me.

"But, lastly," Van says again, after a momentary hiatus, "Came the tall one—the slayer with the handsome features and plain hair. He whispered in my ear" Van trails off.

"What did he say?" I ask hesitantly. 

"He said something aboutDilandau," Van spits the Captain's name bitterly, "But he whispered What comes around goes around, Van Fanel. You took my life, I'll take your soul.' It sounds stupid now," Van says, breaking off. His eyes are closed. I scoot closer to him, seeing his defense systems temporarily down. Carefully I place a comforting hand on his shoulder. He places a hand over mine.

_Ah, look who's chivalrous now._

Van continues softly, "And then I looked to Dilandau, and **they were there. **It was probably the scariest thing I've ever seen. Every single one of them, all surrounding that damn red Alseides. Except" 

"Ryan," I say for him. A little bubble of bittersweet joy bursts in my stomach. _He wasn't there. Ryan wasn't there!_

Van snaps his head up with my interjection. 

"Was that his name?" he asks with controlled neutrality. 

"He wouldn't have said so," I whisper with a wry grin to the night. _A small private joke between you and me Ryan, just you and me._ The tight grip sorrow has on my heart loosens slightly with my pinch of black humor.

"His name was Ryan Michael Labariel, but he would have said his name was Migel. Either way, it's not important," I reply, catching sight of Van's confused look.

"How did you know him?" Van asks guardedly.

"I'm getting there. Do you want to hear this story or not?" I ask, mimicking Van's earlier remark. Van doesn't smile at the comment, but he loses the defensiveness that I felt lurking in his undertones.

With a sigh I lie down on my back, pulling a Van down beside me. I want him to look at the moons. He lies down with a somewhat bewildered look on his face, but doesn't say anything. He probably thinks its another one of my "Mystic Moon" quirks. Either that or I'm a complete slut.

**_Anyway_**_, speaking of the Mystic Moon_Slowly I roll my eyes towards the heavens, and look at Earth for the first time. For some reason it's brighter tonight.

"About two years ago, a good friend of mine died. His name was Ryan Labariel," I begin, plunging head-on into my tale. 

I tell Van everything; Ryan's background, our friendship, even how he (we) escaped from the palace. I don't leave anything out, but I don't go into immense detail. Van moves into a sitting position as I talk and somewhere along the line I sit up as well. Soon I come to the tale of the battle, and I feel Van take my hand in his. 

"and that's when I heard you scream, and you know everything from that point on." I finish. Something wet falls on my arm. I wonder what it is. 

_Is it raining?_

This rain iswarm?

With a jerk I place a hand to my cheek. Damp.

I'm **crying**. 

With a sudden gasp I jump to my feet, furiously wiping the tears away. At some point in my tale I began crying, but I don't remember when. Van stands up, his nut-brown eyes revealing his puzzlement.

"Hitomi?" Van asks softly.

"I promised," I say through gritted teeth, "I promised him I wouldn't cry."

_You broke your promise Kanzaki, just telling the simple story to Van of all people. Way to be strong._

The thought makes my cry harder. I'm sobbing now—crying at the fact I'm crying. 

I can see Ryan shaking his head and laughing at the irony of this. _But, oh wait, he's dead. Never mind._ Now I'm crying so hard I'm shaking.

Van steps up to me and encircles his arms around my shoulders. I all but fall into his embrace, curling my arms up against his chest and crying harder then I've ever have in my life. He gently strokes my hair and mumbles something I can't decipher, but his tone is soothing. 

_Ah, chivalry does have its perks._

Eventually my sobbing subsides, and all the pain that I've kept inside for so long washes away with my tears. It numbs my entire body like Novocaine. 

_"When you go the dentist, don't get the Novocaine"_

_"And why not?"_

_"Because Hitomi, laughing gas is _**_so_**_ much more fun!"_

Ryan was stronger then I was. He could hold everything in and absorb pain. I have to let go of it. I can't keep it inside. 

_Ryan, my friend, how typical of you to ask me to do the one thing I can't._

"Do you feel better?" Van asks softly. His voice is tentative. I think I've scared him a little by all of my tears. He probably didn't think I could feel so much pain. I nod in response to his question. The crook of Van's neck is damp with my tears and his shirt collar is probably soaked too. Yummy.

"It felt good to let it out," I say by way of explanation. I slip my arms around Van's waist, pulling him a little closer. His rocklike stance of "be-strong-for-the-poor-crying-Hitomi" relaxes and he folds slightly into my embrace.

"You know," Van whispers after a bit, "some promises are made to be broken."

"What about this promise?" I ask. Van doesn't say anything for a bit, and close my eyes in anticipation his answer.

"Yes. You needed to cry to deal with your grief. Some people have to do that," Van says.His hand runs through my hair again.

"You don't have to. You're strong," I reply bitterly. 

_Yeah Van, you don't cry. You're strong. You're the king of a destroyed country. Your father died, you're mother abandoned you, and your brother did the same but now spends time ordering insane pyromaniacs to kill you with heavy weaponry. But you _**_never_**_ cry. An old friend of mine died and I'm bawling like a baby. I'm weak._

"I'm different than you. Just because I don't cry doesn't make me any stronger or weaker then the next person. I either accept things or simply get pissed. And mostly it's the latter," Van says truthfully.

"I have to accept a lot of things," I reply to Van. I lift my head off his chest and look into his face, giving him a reassuring smile.

"I think you can," Van states. "Hitomi" he begins, but drifts off. Suddenly he leans down and kisses me gently on the lips, then pulls back quickly and blushes profusely. 

I'm still standing here openmouthed and shocked. I would love to see the expression on my face. Yes, I knew that I liked Van, but I never, **ever** thought he returned the same feelings. Suddenly I feel very fuzzy and warm.

_Kind of like when you first got drunk_. Hush inner voices.

"I'm sorry. I just, wellI don't know. Oh hell," Van blusters. I smile widely at him and put a finger to his lips, feeling braver then I ever have in my entire life. 

"You wanted to kiss me?" I ask shyly.

"Yes," Van says, his lips brushing my finger. I look into his mahogany irises and see the puzzlement, fear, and most importantly the **love** in them.

"I think I can accept that," I whisper, then remove my finger from his lips and kiss him openly on the mouth. And unlike Ryan's kiss, this one is passionate and all I feel is Van's love.

Oh yes. I can most definitely accept that.

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**A/N:** And so concludes "Lost and Found." It was a great ride. Right now I'd just like to thank everyone who reviewed, and most importantly Remalna Marguerite for all of her support (Yes Remalna, you kept this fanfic going in its earlier stages). I hope this epilogue was a nice salve for all of people I bruised with poor Migel/Ryan's demise. Eat your heart out V/H fans! _Important Notice: _if you would like an alternate ending written for this fanfic, I will write oneprovided I get enough requests to do so (about 10). Other than that, thank you for reading!

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